MATCHING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EVALUATION IN AN ERA OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM A FLEMISH PERSPECTIVE

Contributions on quality assurance in education often argue that a complementary and integrated relation between internal and external evaluation of schools would be advisable. This article sets out to investigate what role internal evaluation should - or could - fulfil in relation to external evaluation. It concludes that the arguments for an integration of both are overly positive. The question as to whether accountability and school improvement can be reconciled is indeed a complex one and requires a carefully qualified answer. Looking at some Flemish experiences, we set out a scenario that provokes reflection.