Institutional manifestation of social inequalities, with particular attention to the differentiating effects of disadvantage the case of a district targeted by a complex development program Egy komplex programmal fejlesztendő járás példáján

Abstract

Social inequalities and socioeconomic disadvantages substantially influence student composition and educational outcomes, while legislative and administrative changes may distort the statistical visibility of social vulnerability. The aim of the study was to examine the manifestation of disadvantage at different levels and to explore how these patterns are reflected in student composition and institutional differences within a district classified among Hungary’s most disadvantaged areas requiring complex developmental interventions. A mixed-methods approach was applied, with a retrospective descriptive-comparative analysis based on secondary data forming the core of the study at national, district, and institutional levels, complemented by a document-based case study. National data showed that between the 2010/2011 and 2024/2025 school years, the number of disadvantaged students decreased by 79.42%, while the number of multiply disadvantaged students declined by 58.84%. In contrast, the number of students with special educational needs receiving inclusive education increased by 69.87%. In the examined district, the combined proportion of disadvantaged and multiply disadvantaged students decreased from 65.70% to 42.10%, whereas the proportion of students with special educational needs increased. Institutional-level analyses revealed persistent differences in student composition, academic achievement, and competency assessment outcomes. The case study further demonstrated that disadvantage compensation in the examined institutions relies on the coordinated operation of multiple pedagogical, social, and professional support mechanisms. The findings suggest that the more favourable trends observed in disadvantaged and multiply disadvantaged status indicators can partly be explained by administrative and definitional changes, while substantial social inequalities continue to persist at the institutional level.