This article describes how the Dutch Department of Education incorporates New Public Management (NPM) principles in educational policy, and whether conflicts of interest between the Department and schools cause deviations from NPM. We reviewed policy documents and performed secondary analyses on school data. Educational policy focuses on output indicators and accountability aspects. However, when departmental interests do not align with school interests, the Department develops new policies that partly contradict NPM principles. We argue that a more consistent focus on output and well-developed school autonomy may help to enhance the quality of education