[2] Decotelli was part of the transition cabinet of the government of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and, in February 2019, he was appointed for Chairman of the National Education Development Fund (FNDE), seat which he occupied until August.

[5][10] In his 2008 Master's dissertation on Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV), Decotelli seemingly copied excerpts of a CVM (Securities and Exchange Commission, Portuguese: Comissão de Valores Mobiliários) report, without citing it, or mentioning it in the bibliography.

At the time of nomination, the president Bolsonaro presented Decotelli by the title of Doctor by the National University of Rosario, in Argentina, information publicly denied by the dean of the institution.

On the same day, the press office of the Ministry of Education published the minister's diploma and stated that he completed all doctoral credits.

[16] On June 27, 2020, the Communications Secretary of the Ministry of Education released a statement titled "Clarification statement regarding Minister Carlos Alberto Decotelli's academic credentials" (interpreted from Portuguese title "Nota de esclarecimento a respeito da formação acadêmica do Ministro Carlos Alberto Decotelli".

Such a degree is not awarded nor used in Brazil or the Americas, and it appears that the German University statement confirms Decotelli instead of disavowing him.

However, with the crescent scrutiny into his credentials and the unfavorable momentum the Wuppertal's declaration was another blow to his reputation and credibility as a candidate to the highest Education Office of the Latin American country.