This article analyzes educational policy in three Latin American countries (Brazil, Argentina and Chile) during the 80s and 90s, making comparisons within each country in relation to earlier decades, as well as among the countries. With an analytical focus the author takes mid level schooling defined as that which occurs between obligatory schooling and higher education. The policies for this segment in each country, were examined with reference to the persistence and/or change of the structural duality. The author's conclusion is that Brazil and Argentina have developed and implemented policies tending to reinforce this duality, and that Chile has articulated policies to attenuate it.