近年來民間教改團體倡議「廣設高中、大學」的呼聲不斷，政府面對社會大眾的要求，一方面增設高中、大學，另一方面增加現有高中、大學的容量，以為因應。但是教育擴張能否促進入學機會的均等，是研究教育機會均等的學者關心的課題。過去研究多是隨著教育擴張，探討不同年代各社經背景學生受教育機會的情形。但學者MARTIN TROW 指出教育擴張分成菁英期、大眾期及普及期，且各個時期有截然不同特徵。因此不同教育擴張的階段對入學機會的影響可能有所不同，於是本文從教育擴張是否是世界趨勢、教育擴張的階段、理論基礎、解釋教育擴張與教育機會均等關係的理論、教育擴張能否促進教育機會均等的實徵研究等加以探討，最後據以提出後續實徵研究方向，以供有興趣研究者參考。

In the early 1990s a concerted effort to reform our education system began. The slogan of “More high schools and more universities” has been one of the reform proposals that have attracted the most attention in Taiwan. In response to the cry for more access to schooling, the Ministry of Education has expanded education by setting up new high schools and universities as well as by accommodating more students in current schools. A concern is the possible inequality of educational opportunity following educational expansion. This article attempts to discuss the international trend of educational expansion, theory of educational expansion, relationship between educational expansion and equal access to education. Finally, current empirical studies of access to education are reviewed, and topics for future study are suggested.