Educational opportunity: Tracking inequality across Australia’s education system
‘Educational opportunity’ is a landmark research series examining how access to, and outcomes from, education are distributed across Australia. First released in 2015, with a major national update in 2020, the series provides one of the most comprehensive assessments of how well Australia’s education system supports young people to succeed.
Using a life-course approach, the research tracks progress across key developmental milestones, from school entry through to early adulthood. It brings together large-scale national datasets to measure who is on track, who is falling behind, and how these patterns change over time. The findings consistently show that while many young Australians succeed, a significant proportion miss out on critical educational opportunities at multiple stages.
The series highlights the persistent and compounding nature of educational inequality. The 2015 report showed that around one in four young Australians were missing out on key milestones, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The 2020 update reinforced these findings, revealing that up to one in three young people are not being adequately supported by the system, with outcomes strongly shaped by factors such as socio-economic background, location, and access to resources.
Educational Opportunity has played an important role in shaping national understanding of equity in education. By providing a clear, longitudinal picture of who succeeds and who misses out, the series has informed policy debate, supported reform discussions, and contributed to a stronger focus on system-level inequality. It continues to provide a critical evidence base for tracking progress and identifying where policy action is most needed to improve outcomes for all young Australians.
