School Census and Racial Self-Declaration Guide

To drive data-informed equity in education, the Lemann Foundation and Undime published Censo Escolar e Declaração Racial: análise de informações, dados e resultados voltados à equidade na educação (School Census and Racial Declaration: Analysis of Information, Data, and Results Aimed at Equity in Education) in July 2025. The publication guides school administrators and education departments on refining racial data collection during the school census, helping uncover racial disparities and informing decisions that prioritize students facing greater vulnerability.

Structured across three key areas, the guide examines the mechanics of the school census, including its influence on school funding allocations and Basic Education Development (Ideb) scores, outlines best practices for racial self-declaration, and identifies recurring administrative pitfalls while offering strategies to improve record quality and active outreach. As a strategic step toward equity, the guide advocates for integrating racial self-declaration into official enrollment workflows and raising awareness among families about the power of inclusive data.