The present study discusses how the management team members and teachers use external evaluation data through three case studies in municipal public schools of Macaé/RJ. The research concentrated on two levels of analysis: the municipal education level – as the one promoting guidance and organizing the means by which the schools will develop the work; and the school level, the main focus of this investigation. The time frame reflected during this study included two terms of municipal management: 2005-2008 and 2009-2012. The national and international literature regarding educational policies and procedures, suggests that external evaluatins allow the mapping of the educational delivery process in the schools and educational institutions, leading to a more efficient management of these organizations. This research study discusses how the results of these evaluations have been used in the municipal educational management, and how they transfer to the schools through the actions of the management team members and elementary school teachers of the municipal public schools of Macaé/RJ. The investigation was developed through the analysis of documents, exploratory interviews, observation of the educational routine of three schools, answers to questionnaires provided by members of the management team and teachers, and semi-structured interviews with school agents as well. At the municipal education level the study indicated that, although several external evaluations were developed with the purpose of using data to help with educational management, they were discontinued. During the period of analysis, there were no policies that supported or guided the schools towards data usage. At the school level, the results indicated that the management team members and the teachers recognize that external evaluations can provide valuable information to their pedagogic work. Nonetheless, the current use is restricted to discontinued isolated activities which resulted from the individual work of each educational institution and its management team. There was no consistent pedagogic project developed that was supported by the school’s results. This study expects to contribute to the debate regarding the external evaluation appropriation and data usage in the Brazilian cities.