Most countries’ educational systems strive to provide equal opportunities for different groups to participate in the educational process, regardless of their social, ethnical, or regional background. Indeed, inequalities in opportunities, access and quality of education have historically been reduced (Baker & Le Tendre, 2005), and some findings suggest that in most countries inequality in educational attainment declined in the last few decades (e.g. Thomas, Wang & Fan, 2011). Several comprehensive studies examined inequality in school attainment and its’ correlates (e.g. Thomas, Wang, & Fan, 2002; Ram, 1990). The other group of researchers is interested in inequality of students’ achievement, and they mostly encourage obtaining results from large scale international knowledge assessments like PISA or TIMMS. However, inequality of educational achievement on the national level was considered as inherent to educational system, attributed to characteristics of individual and thus unlikely to be eliminated. In our opinion, equality of national educational achievement should also be achieved to some extent, in particular to retain educational standards, and maintain equivalent school effectiveness level. This is especially important because marked regional differences and differences in urbanization level within countries produce significant educational inequalities (e.g. Qian & Smyth, 2005; Tomul, 2011). Individual educational differences are especially important at the primary education level, since it is likely that the disparities formed during earlier educational stages persist or even strengthen in further education (Coleman, 1990). Accordingly, we believe that inequality in school achievement in early educational stages can produce even bigger inequalities in school attainment during later educational path.  

The conceptualization of this study originated from our earlier studies in which we have examined a number of determinants of primary education in Croatia (Babarovic, Burusic, & Sakic, 2009; Burusic, Babarovic, Sakic, 2009; Burusic, Babarovic, & Seric, 2012; Burusic, Sakic, Babarovic, & Devic, 2013; Sakic, Burusic, & Babarovic, 2013). We have found marked educational gaps on the personal level, on the level of certain social groups of students as well as inequalities that occur between administrative and territorial units within Croatia. We became aware that educational achievement inequalities exist, and the goal of this study is to identify the extent of these inequalities within and between Croatian regions. Furthermore, we want to examine some correlates and possible determinants of the observed educational inequalities and relate it to other comparable findings (e.g. Mont, 2011; Ferreira & Gignoux, 2011). 

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