Evidence-based education policy in practice: The case of the Netherlands

Geert Driessen

doi:10.59400/fes3108

Evidence-based education policy in practice: The case of the Netherlands

Geert Driessen Radboud University, 6525XZ Nijmegen, Netherlands

Article ID: 3108

Keywords: evidence-based education; evidence-informed education; effectiveness; effect size; education disadvantage policy; interventions; elementary education; the Netherlands

Abstract

While evidence-based policy and practice have been on the rise for some time now, this does not apply to education. Evidence-based education (EBE) can be defined as the principle that education practices should be based on rigorously established objective evidence, preferably on randomized controlled trials. In this country-specific case study, the focus is on the Netherlands and, more specifically, developments regarding the educational disadvantage policy. Whereas the Ministry of Education propagates the use of EBE, researchers seem to be rather reluctant. The main research question is how many of the ministry’s policy measures have actually been grounded in the principles of evidence-based education? To answer this question, three review studies covering the period 1985–2023 were critically examined. The results can be called shocking: hardly any of the ministry’s policy measures have been based upon hard scientific evidence—neither in the past nor in recent years. Explanations for this finding are given, and recommendations are presented.

Published

2025-10-13

How to Cite

Driessen, G. (2025). Evidence-based education policy in practice: The case of the Netherlands. Forum for Education Studies, 3(3), 3108. https://doi.org/10.59400/fes3108

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Issue

Vol. 3 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Review

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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