Recent research from the Netherlands shows that the difference between having a good or a bad teacher in grade 6 (‘groep’ 8) can make a difference of half a level of secondary school track advice. In order to improve the level of education, a sufficient number of good teachers are needed in front of the classroom. Taking care of this supply is high on the Dutch political agenda due to the shortage of teachers and concerns about the quality and unequal distribution of teachers. This dissertation examines how the careers and skills of Dutch teachers develop.
This dissertation focuses on teachers in primary and secondary education. The careers and are described for elementary school teachers, while the chapters on skills cover both primary and secondary education. The dissertation provides new insights into the careers of teachers through the use of large administrative datasets. These make it possible to follow all beginning teachers from secondary school to the ninth year of employment. It also allows to look at relationships with the school and pupil characteristics of the school in which the teachers work. With this wealth of data, the career patterns of Dutch elementary school teachers can be studied at a level of detail that has not been possible until now.