Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth, 2003 cohort (Version 7.1)

In 2003 a nationally representative sample of about 12,500 15 year-old students was selected to participate in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This group of young people became the third cohort of the LSAY program (LSAY Y03). As part of PISA, assessments in mathematical literacy, reading literacy, scientific literacy and problem-solving were administered in schools to provide information on student achievement. Students also completed a background questionnaire about themselves, their families, educational and vocational plans, attitudes to school, attitudes towards learning mathematics, relationships with teachers and peers, and perceptions of the school and classroom environments. In a follow-up telephone interview, students provided further information about their post-school, work experience, workplace learning and work situation. In 2004, members of the Y03 cohort were contacted for their annual LSAY telephone interviews. The questionnaire for their 2004 interview included questions on school, transitions from school, post-school education and training, work, job history, job search activities, health, living arrangements, finance and general attitudes. Subsequent surveys asked similar questions, but with the emphasis changing from school to post-school education, training and work, depending on the young person’s circumstances. Since 2012, respondents were given the option to complete their interviews online. The final wave of interviewing (wave 11) took place in 2013 when respondents were, on average, 25 years of age.