School Divisions and Inequalities in Funding, Access to Schools and Staffing

Abstract

The French education system produces its own inequalities, in addition to those generated by the demographic, economic, cultural and social context in which it operates. How many different versions of France appear when we analyze the inequalities in the distribution of both financial and human resources by the different levels of the State and by the various local authorities, as well as the inequalities in physical accessibility (roads, for example) to high schools? Can we talk about divisions concerning the disparities observed between regional education authorities, departments, cantons and communes in this area? After examining the inequalities in the financial allocation by local authorities to middle and high schools, the inequalities in road access to these establishments and the disparities in the location of human resources (teachers, etc.) in these establishments, the use of the notion "school divide" does not really seem excessive in view of the differences observed between cantons, departments and regional education authorities...