Better Research, Better Programmes? Cardiff Paper.

Lessons learned from Onderwijs un Sociaal Milieu (OSM), or Education and Social Origin, the largest compensation and enrichment program ever developed in The Netherlands, are described in this paper. Although the program did not raise lower class students' standardized test scores to the national level, the program had overly ambitious goals and the advantages of structure and efficiency. Conclusions are that: (1) The OSM had a limited scope and should involve more schools and other bureaucratic and professional partners; (2) demographic circumstances have changed drastically since OSM began; (3) successful implementation is no guarantee for better student achievement; and (4) diversification of research activities should not be confused with major breakthroughs into the outlines and principles of OSM. The paradox of OSM may be that the strength of its explicit rationality in outline and infrastructure lessened its ability to adequately respond to the ideals of equity in a rapidly changing school population that needs frequent diagnosis of deprivation and underachievement. (Contains 20 references.) (LMI)