The paper analyzes the contexts of operation of local systems of public education in Chile, according to the diversity of areas in which they are located. The results show a multiplicity of operating conditions associated with the great heterogeneity in the magnitude of the municipalities responsible for local education policies. These results suggest that: (i) the current funding scheme puts pressure on the smaller and poorer communities to provide input comparatively higher, so the poor; (ii) the differences of scale generated in practice are radically different phenomena, which must be evaluated with reference to its context, (iii) public education systems generate relationships to be incorporated in policy design, so as to avoid the tendency towards greater socio-economic segmentation students.
Local policy on education; Diversity planning; Financing public education; Rural
