EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY AND EDUCATIONAL EXPANSI ON

This paper presents a new empirical analysis of the changes in educati onal inequality in (West)Germany. It is based on the life history data of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education in Be rlin (cohorts 1919-21, 1929-31, 1939-41, 1949-51, 1954-56 and 1959-61) which allows an exact reconstruction of the interviewees' school care ers. Concerning the effects of social origin, we observe a decline of inequality over cohorts. This is true for the decision to attend a mid dle or upper secondary school (boys and girls) as well as for completi on of an occupational qualification (girls) but not for the decision b etween a middle and an upper secondary school. Concerning the effects of region, we observe a declining difference between the choice of sch ooltype after primary education in cities and in the country. But the differences between north and south remain for this decision. The diff erence between city and country reverses for the occupational qualific ation of girls: For the younger cohorts, the girls living in cities ar e less likely to finish occupational training.