The longitudinal evaluation component of the Dutch National Education Priority Programme is discussed. This general policy program focuses on reducing all education arrears based on ascriptive criteria. The evaluation design includes the longitudinal cohort studies and a number of specific projects within the compensatory education program. (TJH)

The relative importance of social background and ethnic origin in explaining differences in position of immigrants and native Dutch students in the educational system in the Netherlands is studied using data from a study of 19,524 first-year secondary students evaluating the national educational priority policy program and its classification of…