This article intends to bring out a theoretical contribution from urban sociology studies, as well as a methodological contribution using social-spatial analysis (geocoding) to analyse educational inequalities in large urban centers. It integrates the dimension of educational inequalities and the dynamics of residential segregation in urban centers in order to deal with questions that were, up to now, not frequently considered in the studies about educational inequality. As an analytical strategy, we have selected the city of Rio de Janeiro to observe the potentialities of the theoretical-methodological approach adopted. The analyses have used information from different databases (Prova Brasil 2011, Censo Escolar, 2011). In the concluding remarks, the article discusses recent experiences in educational policies that have used geocoding tools and/or focused on schools in vulnerable territories and their consequences on the distribution of educational opportunities.
Educational inequalities; Geography of educational opportunities; Residential segregation
