INCLUSION AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE ENEM
Inclusion; Demography; Performance
The National High School Exam (ENEM) is the main pathway for accessing higher education and student financing in Brazil. This thesis investigates the influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on the participation and performance of the Special Education Public Population with Disabilities (PEcD_PEE) in ENEM, considering the temporal evolution of these factors and the regional diversity of Brazil. The study is grounded in Pierre Bourdieu's theory of Capitals and uses data from ENEM microdata (2009, 2019-2022) and the Basic Education School Censuses, analyzing variables such as income, parental education, household assets, race/ethnicity, gender, school type, location, and age. Using the Expectation Maximization method, socioeconomic profiles were characterized, and statistical tests (Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney, and Student's T-test) assessed significant differences between groups. Principal Component Analysis identified the main axes of variation in the data, revealing superior performance by regular education candidates compared to PEcD_PEE in all regions, with men excelling in Mathematics and women in Writing, except in the North, while older age negatively impacted performance. The Capital Cultural and Economic Minor (CCEM) profile predominated in the North and Northeast, whereas the Capital Cultural and Economic Elevated (CCEE) profile was prevalent in the South and Southeast, where accessibility resources were also better. Parental education was lower in the CCEM profile, and mixed-race and black women achieved lower scores, with the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affecting CCEM students due to limited technological resources. Understanding the socioeconomic and demographic factors that impact the educational inclusion of PEcD_PEE is crucial to promoting effective education, with large-scale assessments serving as essential tools for diagnostics that guide inclusive practices in the Brazilian education system.