DESCRIPTORS

In this study, data were obtained from sixth grade students on attitudes toward each of four aspects of the school experience and on academic achievement. Data were available from 159 males and 199 females from 17 sixth grade classrooms in 17 schools within the Kansas City school district. Attitudes toward school were measured with the Pupil Opinion Questionnaire (POQ). Items were formulated on an a priori basis to tap three distinguishable components of school experience: (1) teachers, (2) school work, and (3) peers. A fourth component was labeled school in general. Academic achievement data consisted of grade equivalent scores averaged over the six components of the Stanford Achievement Test. Results include: (1) in the reciprocal effects between attitudes and achievement, achievement is much more frequently the causal factor but, except in the case of attitudes toward teachers, those effects are in an incongruent direction, and (2) among the four attitude objects, the preponderance of incongruent over congruent achievement was greatest in the case of attitude towards school work. One implication noted is that incongruent achievement influence on school orientations should be very infrequent in a "good " educational program. (Author/KJ