The Determinants of School Participation Rates: A Cross-Sectional Analysis for New South Wales and Victoria*

Using data from the 1976 Australian Census of Population and Housing, estimates of the influence of family income. labour market conditions, religious denomination, foreign origin, locality and teenage income on the school participation rate of various teenage groups are obtained. These results suggest that family income is the most important determinant of school participation. The effect of the level of unemployment upon school participation is only modest. In some instances the direction of its influence is contrary to conventional wisdom .