The Academic Attainment of Ethnic Groups in Australia: A Social Psychological Model

Data from a sample of Australian students are used to estimate differences in the academic achievement of and the completion of secondary school by youths from Australian, English, Greek, and Italian backgrounds. The effects of ethnicity are relatively small, but there are important differences between the ethnic groups. Greek and Italian students have lower academic achievement than do Australian and English students, the social psychological support they receive for education is higher, and substantially more Greek and Italian students complete secondary school. These results do not support the argument that the upward mobility of non-English-speaking immigrant students is blocked in the educational system. Rather, it seems that the achievement of these students is limited because of their lack of proficiency in English, while their success is facilitated by their cultural values.