All children in the Netherlands are entitled to good education, but schools differ in their ability to provide it. Research shows that above-average performing schools have a central focus on a culture of continuous improvement. The National Growth Fund Programme 'Development Power' aims to implement and safeguard such a culture of research and improvement in schools. This programme consists of two sub-programmes: Growth Power and the Transformative School. These programmes aim to achieve various goals. Growth Power aims to strengthen a sustainable culture of research and improvement in schools, while the Transformative School aims to work on building teachers' self-confidence. As a result, it is expected that the quality of education and therefore the learning outcomes of students will increase. Dialogic, in collaboration with Oberon and the Vrije Universiteit, is researching the extent to which this is happening. We are investigating whether Development Power is achieving its goals through a quasi-experimental design, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Additionally, we are exploring the costs involved in achieving the benefits of the programme. The research will span several years and will be definitively presented to the commissioning body NRO by the end of 2027.

2026

2025