The Data Must Speak (DMS) Positive Deviance research aims to improve the equity and quality of education through the use of data by studying the practices and behaviours of 'positive deviant' schools -- schools that outperform others despite operating in similar contexts and with equivalent resources. The analysis aims to inform practical recommendations on how to scale these practices and behaviours to lower-performing schools. This report presents the results of the first stage of the DMS research in Maranhão state in Brazil, which analyses different factors related to educational performance. The main findings and areas for further exploration based on the analysis are presented in this report. [This report was co-published by the State Department of Education in Maranhão (SEDUC-MA) and UNICEF Brazil.]