Despite the extensive literature on educational innovations, there is only limited empirical research available into the impact of innovations on student achievement. In this article, the following research questions will be answered: What form do innovations in secondary education take, are there types of innovative schools, and what effect do these innovations have on school quality and student careers? The findings show that types of innovative schools differ significantly on quality assessments aspects of the Inspectorate of Education, quality of "time," and of the "teaching-learning process." Furthermore, the school output data showed that in the lower education tracks the more innovative schools obtain good results with their students, whereas in the higher education tracks the less innovative schools perform significantly better.