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Subject-Specific Truancy: Dimensionality of the Truancy Scale and Associations With Subject-Specific Achievement

Thu, April 16, 12:00 to 1:30pm, Sheraton, Floor: Fourth Level, Chicago VI&VII

Abstract

Most large-scale student assessments implicitly assume that the proficiency they measure is mainly acquired at school. However, little is known about how missed lessons are related to the level of competence students achieve. Using Germany’s PISA 2012 student sample (N = 5,001 fifteen-year-old secondary school students), this association is investigated for the subjects of mathematics and German (language of test). Two three-step linear regression models reveal that both mathematical and reading competence in PISA 2012 is significantly predicted by a student’s characteristics, but above and beyond that by their skipping mathematics and German classes. Taking this into account, it seems likely that mathematical and reading competence is mostly gained in the school learning environment.

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