On 20 June, during the well-attended General Economics brown bag session, Dinand Webbink, Professor of Policy Evaluation, presented the paper titled "Does public oversight in schools reduce inequality in education?" that he and his team co-authored with the Dutch Inspectorate of Education (Inspectie van het Onderwijs). This study marks one of the first results of a long-term collaboration.
Dinand Webbink, who specialises in the economics of education, has a distinguished background combining practical experience with research. He previously worked at CPB (Central Planning Bureau) as head of education research, collaborating extensively with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science. Over a year ago, the Dutch Inspectorate of Education reached out to the Erasmus School of Economics team, which includes Dinand Webbink, Sasha Kapoor, Matthijs Oosterveen, and Joppe de Ree. This collaboration, initially set for one year, has now been extended for three more years.
The quality of Dutch education
The Inspectorate sought out the Erasmus School of Economics team for their expertise in using advanced evaluation techniques. The goal is to learn from these evaluations to improve inspection methods and, ultimately, the quality of Dutch education.
The Inspectorate's mission is to ensure the quality of Dutch education by identifying and mitigating risks in poorly performing schools. When concerns arise about a school's quality, inspectors are sent to conduct observations and evaluations based on a comprehensive set of standards, including teaching methods and the safety of the learning environment. If a school cannot improve, it is labeled as 'weak', and the Inspectorate provides specific directives for improvement. In severe cases, they can recommend the Minister of Education to close the school.
The impact of public oversight on primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands
The current paper examines the impact of public oversight on primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands. Over the next three years, additional projects will explore the effects of accountability pressure, specifically whether the mere presence of inspections improves quality. Another focus will be on individual inspectors' judgments, assessing whether some inspectors are stricter or more lenient. The aim is to understand how inspectors make their decisions, particularly when labelling a school as 'weak.' This designation, visible to parents and carrying significant consequences, raises important questions about when and why a school receives such a label and whether there is a tendency to avoid giving a 'weak' rating unless absolutely necessary.
The collaboration provides many opportunities for access to valuable data and creating societal impact, effectively connecting academic research with real-world application.