Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth is a program of surveys of young people conducted by

Stephen Lamb, ACER

Abstract

Students participating in LSAY were originally sampled in 1995 from 298 schools nationally. In 1996 the schools from which the original sample of students was drawn, took part in a survey to collect information about the features and programs of schools, as well as features of teachers and teaching, which might influence the progress of students in their school and in their later work careers. The survey involved two questionnaires: (1) a school questionnaire to be completed by the principal (or other school representative) and (2) a questionnaire to a sample of ten Year 10 teachers. The school questionnaire collected information on school programs, organisation and timetables. The teacher survey included questions on aspects of teaching and learning. The codebook for the teacher survey is provided in this technical paper. The national sample of schools was derived in 1995. The sample design was intended to provide a sample of approximately 300 schools and 10,000 Year 9 students. The major stratum considered in the design was the state and territory organisation of schools. Schools and students from smaller states were over-sampled and, correspondingly, schools and students from larger states were under-sampled. Selection of schools and students within states was proportional by sector. Three sectors were used as strata: government schools, Catholic schools, and nongovernment, non-Catholic schools. Within strata, schools were selected proportional to their size, with an implicit stratification by geography because of the postcodeorder of the sampling frame. The teacher survey was conducted with the assistance of schools. School contacts for the survey were asked to select ten Year 10 teachers to complete the teacher questionnaire, with at least one teacher from each of eight key learning areas: mathematics, science, studies of society and environment, technology, English, health sciences and physical education, creative and performing arts, and languages other than English.