Education plays a fundamental role in society, both because it determines individuals' life chances and because it has the power to reproduce or ameliorate inequality in society. In this entry, research within the sociology of education is reviewed that examines both how schools are shaped by the society in which they are embedded and how schools affect the distribution of opportunities and the intergenerational transmission of social status. The entry begins by discussing theoretical perspectives on education, and then discusses the beginnings of universal education and how universal education varies between developed and developing countries. Finally, the major developments for sociological research on education are reviewed, with an emphasis on explanations for inequality in educational opportunities, including school desegregation, public versus private schooling, charter schools, tracking, summer learning gaps, social and cultural capital, the role of adolescent culture in achievement, and issues related to higher education. Though the structure of education and the distribution of educational opportunities in society continue to evolve as economies and cultures shift, education plays a pivotal role in perpetuating socioeconomic inequality and, for the lucky few, providing opportunities for social mobility.