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During recent years many European countries have modernized the governance of their education systems according to an ‘evidence-based model’ which, e.g., materialized in new school inspections and comparative performance assessment. Qualitative case study data of six primary and secondary schools is used to explore in-school processes of sensemaking and constructing consequences of the Austrian performance standard policy (which is taken as an exemplar for evidence-based reforms). Teachers’ understandings and actions are compared with the normative claims underlying this policy. Results show that only two of the five processes claimed to be effective for school improvement through performance standards are found in the data. Version of record