FROM SOCIAL INNOVATION TO PUBLIC POLICY: CO-PRODUCTION, EVALUATION, AND THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF FULL-TIME EDUCATION THROUGH THE MACETE SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY IN SANTA LUZIA DO ITANHY, BRAZIL

Abstract

Implementing full-time education in small municipalities requires more than extending the school day: it demands a contextualized curriculum, teacher education, institutional coordination, and evaluation. This article analyzes the partnership between the Municipal Department of Education of Santa Luzia do Itanhy, Sergipe, Brazil, and MACETE (Mathematics, Arts, Sciences, Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Ethics), a social technology developed by The Human Project, inspired by the STEAM approach and structured through Challenge-Based Learning. A mixed-method case study was conducted using institutional documents, implementation records, and ex post evaluation data from 98 students attending two full-time schools. The documentary analysis included the syllabus for diversified curricular components and Opinion No. 02/2025 of the Municipal Council of Education. The social-emotional competencies and school retention scales showed adequate internal consistency (α = 0.80 and α = 0.83). Significant differences were found between early and later grades, as well as a strong correlation between the two dimensions (r = 0.75; p < 0.001). Although the results do not support causal inference, they provide evidence for improving the policy. The experience represents co-production between government and the third sector, transforming territorially grounded social innovation into public capacity, curricular reference, and institutional learning.