Through the exhaustive studying of texts, studies and official reports published between the years 1981 and 2000, a temporality of national priority education policy is revealed. It is confronted with the policies followed by state decentralized services (Education Offices, School Inspectorate), in three metropolitan departments (Eure-et-Loir, Ille-et-Vilaine, Seine-Saint-Denis) with very contrasted socio-demographic and academic characteristics. Three monographs favor the comprehension of ZEP policy management at local level, as well as the role played by supervision authorities, the evolution of middle schools and the impact of education offer. The affirmative action policy was the first step of the education system reform wanted by Alain Savary; it allowed for the progressive introduction of new paradigms : autonomy of the schools, increased actors' awareness of their responsibilities, zone project, partnership, relations between primary and secondary education, contractualization, and assessment. The comparison of the three territories with regards national framework uncovers the outstanding elements. The question of means and the evolution of the map, which is considerably expanding however in disparate ways, are brought out ; but other themes appear : effects of sectorization, presence of private education, lack of mixed populations from different social backgrounds, urban segregation, and links with the city policy. The role of educational militants as well as that of CRESAS and OZP confirms that behind educational priority policy, the democratization of scholar success within the framework of mandatory school is actually questioned.
