Why have social intervention programs in schools in poverty contexts? Meanings associated with the purpose of the implementation of programs from the actors’ perspective

Abstract

In the implementation processes of educational policies and specific programs, it is crucial that they make sense to the actors involved, as it impacts the levels of adherence and commitment to change. This article presents research that sought to understand the meanings of educational actors regarding the sense of implementing social intervention programs in schools in contexts of poverty. The research was conducted through a qualitative methodology of multiple case studies involving four vulnerable Chilean schools. From a conceptual perspective, references from policy implementation theory were addressed, focusing on implementation conditions and the role of actors. Regarding the results, three groups of meanings stand out that underpin the presence of programs in schools: those centered on the vulnerability of families and children, those centered on the opportunity for teachers to focus on their pedagogical role, and those centered on global societal changes that impact education. It is important for projecting changes and transformations in educational equity that actors comprehend and engage with renewed visions to understand education from a comprehensive approach and with a rights-based perspective.