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ITS-dataset (English)

The Intergenerational Transmission of Skills (ITS) project has developed a unique and unparalleled database, linking basic skills of parents in language and math measured at age 12 to the same skills of their children also measured at age 12.

The purpose of this dataset in to understand the role of intergenerational transmission of (basic) skills on life course outcomes of the children in different domains, such as education, health, crime and so on.

Description ITS-dataset

The ITS dataset is a combination of panel survey data gathered in the 1970s and 1980s complemented with register data available from Statistics Netherlands. The panel data consist of three cohorts that started their secondary education in 1977, 1983, and 1989, respectively. Each of these longitudinal surveys consist of nationally representative panels of 37,280 (1977), 16,813 (1983), and 19,524 (1989) students entering Dutch secondary education (grade 7, age 13).

Each cohort started at the beginning of the school year with an assessment of language and math skills, using a short version of the Cito-test. Questionnaires were also sent to the parents of the cohort members to gather basic background information. All the students were subsequently followed during their school career, assessing their position in education (i.e., tracks and grades) annually until they left education.

Most of the students in the original cohorts were found back in the register data from Statistics Netherlands.  In the first two decades of the new millennium, the original students from the three cohorts were in their 30s or 40s, an age at which they could have children of their own who could enter secondary education.

Statistics Netherlands has register data for all schools that participated in the Cito test from the school year 2005/2006 onward. This Cito test is administered in the final year (grade 6) of primary education.

The original cohort data are linked to the register data of their children, including test scores, as well as other information on the children’s educational careers. The latter information is available from the so-called Netherlands Cohort Study on Education (NCO). The ITS dataset currently covers 25,265 unique parents with a total of 41,103 unique children.

Doing your own research with the ITS data

The ITS dataset uses microdata from CBS (also known as Statistics Netherlands). The combined and pseudonymised data are stored in CBS' highly secure environment. This dataset can be analysed by scientists within the remote access environment.

Researchers must be affiliated with an institution authorized to conduct remote access research at CBS. Following permission from the Dutch National Education Institute (NKO, Dutch abbreviation), researchers can access the ITS data at CBS if CBS also grants permission. Researchers have the data at their disposal in the remote access environment.

Costs

There are costs associated with remote access research. Participants in ODISSEI can take advantage of the microdata funds, which allows them to qualify for reimbursement under certain conditions.

Example of an expense report for microdata research with the ITS-dataset

Below we have included an example to give an impression of the cost of microdata research.

Please note: In this example we assume that the ITS-dataset is the only dataset being used. The support costs for additional datasets are a one-time fee of 180 euro and additionally 18 euro's per month per file subject. These rates refer to 2023 and can be  adjusted as of January 1st, 2024.
 

Project A

1 researcher, 1x outputcontrole and a research time of 3 months.

DienstCostTotal costs

Starting costs

Basis rate

€ 1800€1800
Authorisation new researcher€375€375 *

Monthly support costs

Costs per researcher

€122(3x122) €366
Outputcontrol€250€250
Total project costs €2791

*For researchers who have previously worked with RA, these costs will not be charged

Documentation ITS- dataset

Overview of variables (in dutch)

ITS background documentation and codebook (2026)