Predicting elementary and secondary school achievement with school-related and demographic factors

Relationships between school and social factors reported on the Illinois School Report Card were examined, along with student achievement, as measured by the Illinois Goal Assessment Program (IGAP). The purposes were (a) to identify relationships between school demographic variables and IGAP achievement and (b) to assess the explanatory ability of the cannot control and can control models in accounting for IGAP achievement score variability, Results revealed that all of the independent variables (except high school per-pupil expenditure) were significantly related to achievement scores. A school's IGAP achievement score is more a function of the school's demographic status and socioeconomic status than its effectiveness. Educators, legislators, and the public should consider this when comparing achievement among school districts and rank them accordingly.