Relations between Catholic schools funded by the State and the National Educational Inspectorate in Portugal-freedom of education with state funding

This article examines the balance found in Portugal between faith-based schools' freedom of educating with a religious perspective and the State's supervisory role of schools that receive state funding (government oversight of religious State funded schools). The research is a case study of four Catholic schools entirely funded by the State. In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads of these schools and former senior officials of the National Educational Inspectorate. In a highly regulated educational system, we found the distinctive character of these schools to be self-constrained and that state funding does not add specific burdens on the schools.