Factors influencing assigned student achievement levels

During 1997, teachers in South Australian government schools were asked to assign a level of achievement using the nationally developed curriculum profiles in English, Science, Studies of Society and Environment, and Technology. About one third of state schools participated. Data were collected on student achievement levels, student background factors (age, gender, school card status, aboriginality, special programs), school background factors (CAP, DSP), and teacher confidence in assigning achievement levels using profiles. This paper presents loglinear models to report on relationships between assigned levels and student background, school background, and teacher confidence; relationships among the strands in each learning area; and relationships among the four learning areas.