Fatores socioeconômicos determinantes da nota no enem: uma análise dos microdados do Ceará de 2014 a 2023

Abstract

The National High School Exam – Enem has become one of the main tools for educational assessment in Brazil, as well as one of the largest mechanisms for access to higher education in the country. A good score on Enem can mean the difference between getting into one’s dream program and settling for what is ―left over‖ or ―available.‖ Thus, this study aims to develop a proposal for educational intervention based on the socioeconomic factors that determine performance on Enem in the state of Ceará. The methodology is quantitative and descriptive, involving data collection and the use of linear regression for data analysis. Microdata from Enem editions from 2014 to 2023 are used, providing detailed information on participants’ profiles, their socioeconomic conditions, and their performance on the exam. The results indicate that the following factors are statistically significant and associated with higher Enem scores: having a computer and Internet access at home; taking the exam at the age of 16; being white; belonging to a higher-income family; having parents with a completed higher education degree who work in specific professions; attending a private school; and having completed high school within the three years prior to the exam. Among all variables studied, income has the greatest predictive effect: in 2023, moving from low income to high income corresponded to a score that was 34.66% higher. Studies on this topic have demonstrated a significant relationship between the socioeconomic background of Enem participants and their scores. However, few studies have focused specifically on this phenomenon in Ceará, which further justifies this research. The relevance of this study lies in its contribution to the academic debate on the determinants of educational performance, as well as in its potential to guide practical actions aimed at improving the quality of education and promoting educational equity in Ceará. The practical contribution of this research is the development of a technical-technological product consisting of a tool designed for parents, teachers, and school administrators, which can be used to enhance the performance of students from Ceará on the Enem.