By analyzing the development of education policy in two post-Socialist countries, Hungary and Lithuania, this paper argues that definitions of educational inequality have evolved over time, strongly reflecting societies’ political, economic and social makeup. Hence, the meaning of policy concepts and definitions, including that of educational inequality, should be seen as embedded concepts that evolve over time. The authors show that an interplay between historical culture (e.g., Wirt, Mitchell & Marshall 1988), ideas (e.g., Saurugger, 2013) and values (Bell & Stevenson 2015) collectively influence policy making and imbue policy concepts with meaning. Therefore, policy-making becomes the “realisation of contested meanings” (Bell & Stevenson 2015: 146). To demonstrate evolution of educational inequality as a policy concept over time, this paper analyses historical legacies of socialism, as well as the evolving of new narratives through the transition to capitalism—embracing global or European values—have impacted education policy in both countries. This is followed by the examination of how the more recent political environment, political ideas and culture have shaped contemporary education policy, delineating new meaning(s) of educational vulnerability and new way(s) of tackling educational inequality. As an example, we trace the development of the category of “special needs students”. In Lithuania, it moved from a narrow, disability-focused model with such students educated in segregated environments (Lietuvos švietimo koncepcija, 1992), to a broader understanding of special needs as arising from specific characteristics of a student and/or external factors (such as social conditions), leading to the introduction of integrated and inclusive education in Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublikos švietimo ir mokslo ministerija, 2012). A similar process took place in Hungary, where despite political slogans of socialism about equal rights to education (Gyuris, 2014), institutionalized segregation of students with special needs was the norm. From the early 2000s, the redefinition of “special needs” and the consideration of social vulnerability (2003. évi LXI. törvény, 2003) gradually improved inclusion in education (Erőss & Kende, 2010). Nevertheless, segregating practices are still widespread in the Central and Eastern Europe (Mladenov & Petri, 2020). In sum, this paper offers an analysis of educational policy documents from a historical and social constructionist perspective. Analyzing the normative content and values endorsed through education policy reveals an interplay between engrained values of historical and cultural significance and the need to adapt (and respond to) contemporary societal transformations.

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