Educational outcomes models PO and VO

Inspectorate of Education

The algorithm calculates the educational outcomes of schools (cluster, branch, programme). The algorithm provides information that helps an inspector assess whether a school achieves the legal lower limit for learning outcomes to be achieved with these pupils.

Last change on 9th of October 2024, at 7:35 (CET) | Publication Standard 1.0

• Publication category: Impactful algorithms
• Impact assessment: Field not filled in.
• Status: In use

General information

Theme

Education and Science

Begin date

2020-08

End date

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Contact information

https:://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/contact

Link to publication website

https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/onderwerpen/onderwijsresultatenmodel-vo; https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/onderwerpen/onderwijsresultaten-primair-onderwijs

Responsible use

Goal and impact

The Education Inspectorate monitors the quality of education. Educational outcomes are a consequence of educational quality. Education that is not good enough leads to educational outcomes that are not good enough. Inspectors use the educational outcomes models when assessing learning outcomes/educational results (as referred to in the WPO, WVO and the Regulations Learning Outcomes PO and VO). With the educational outcomes model, we calculate whether the school succeeds in having pupils achieve sufficient learning outcomes. To do this, we use an average of the learning results of pupils at school. Using the so-called school weighting measure for primary education and the APCG score for secondary education (both calculated by Statistics Netherlands), we also include the characteristics of the entire group of pupils at school. This allows us to take into account the complexity of the pupil population when assessing educational outcomes (see references under the heading 'links to data sources', for more information). A school's calculated educational outcomes are insufficient if they fall below the set standard as described in the Regulations on Learning Outcomes for PO and VO. When a school is selected for examination, the inspector will give a judgement on the standard Results on the basis of the calculated educational results: if the school believes that the calculated educational results do not properly reflect the pupils' learning outcomes, the school can submit its own justification. Through this own justification, the judgement on educational outcomes can still become satisfactory or be described as not assessable. If an inspector judges the educational results to be unsatisfactory during the investigation, the school is given one or more remedial orders.

Considerations

The advantage of using an algorithm that calculates educational outcomes at a school is that educational outcomes are calculated in the same way for all schools using the same legal requirements. A second advantage is that it avoids having to determine scores manually.

A disadvantage is that not all specific characteristics of the pupil population can be captured in the model. In such cases, the school can provide its own justification.

Human intervention

A school's calculated educational results are insufficient if they fall below the set standard as described in the Regulations on Educational Results for PO and VO. The judgement on educational outcomes is given only after an investigation at the school. When a school is selected for examination, the inspector will give a judgement on the standard based on the calculated educational results: if the school believes that the calculated educational results do not properly reflect the pupils' learning outcomes, the school can submit its own justification. This may result in a judgement of either satisfactory or not assessing educational outcomes.

Annual risk analysis

We conduct an annual risk analysis for all schools and departments. Learning outcomes are one of the indicators we then look at. If this analysis reveals serious risks, we always conduct an investigation at school, preceded by an expert analysis (desk research) and a discussion with the board. This may result in us foregoing an investigation at school.

For both PO and VO, we can additionally waive an investigation at school based on recent supervision history.

Risk management

Every year, the outcomes of the educational outcomes models for primary and secondary education are compared with previous years; based on this comparison, adjustments can be made to the models.

Furthermore, context and societal changes are explicitly considered and taken into account in the operation and application of the model, such as, for instance, the effects of corona measures. Evaluations and revisions of models also take place every few years.

Legal basis

Education Supervision Act (WOT), Secondary Education Act (WVO), Primary Education Act (WPO), Regulations Learning Outcomes PO and VO

Links to legal bases

• WOT: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0013800/2023-08-01
• WPO: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0003420/2024-01-01
• WVO: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045787/2023-10-11/#Hoofdstuk1
• Regeling Leerresultaten PO: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0043066/2023-10-05
• Regeling Leerresultaten VO: https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0038374/2023-03-16

Operations

Data

The primary sources are the so-called 1-digit files containing (among other things) the educational results achieved per pupil/student. This file is provided to the inspectorate by DUO and is filled with data from the Register of Educational Participants (ROD, formerly BRON) and the Register of Institutions and Programmes (RIO, formerly BRIN).

The APCG (open data from CBS), and School Weighting (open data from CBS) are also used.

All data are aggregated to school level for calculations in the Educational Outcomes Model.

Links to data sources

• Schoolweging: https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/maatwerk/2023/28/schoolweging-2020-2023; https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/publicatie/2017/06/herziening-gewichtenregeling-primair-onderwijs; https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/dossier/dossier-onderwijsachterstanden
• ROD: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/contact/contactgids/duo-register-onderwijsdeelnemers-rod
• RIO: https://www.rio-onderwijs.nl/
• 1cijfer: Geen openbare informatie beschikbaar. Dit betreft een directe levering van DUO aan de inspectie.
• APCG: https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/maatwerk/2018/07/armoedeprobleem-cumulatie-gebieden-2015

Technical design

This is a rule-based algorithm. The rules are laid down in the Regulations Learning Outcomes PO and VO. In PO, two indicators are calculated, one of which is corrected for the school weighting, a measure of the complexity of the pupil population. Both indicators are calculated over three years, taking the weighted average based on pupil numbers. When one or both indicators are below the (corrected) standard, the calculated assessment is unsatisfactory. When both indicators are above the norm, the calculated opinion is sufficient. In VO, four indicators are calculated, each with its own standard. Indicators are calculated by averaging over three years. Corrections are made for three of the four indicators, depending on the background and support needs of pupils at a school. When two of the four indicators are below the norm, the calculated assessment is insufficient.

External provider

N/A