In 2003, a nationally representative sample of approximately 12,500 15 year-old students was selected to participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), conducted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). More than 10,000 of these young people became the third cohort of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth. The PISA sample was constructed by randomly selecting fifty 15 year-old students from a sample of schools designed to represent state and sector. Assessments in mathematical literacy, reading literacy, scientific literacy and problem solving were administered to students in their schools to provide information on school achievement for use in later analyses of educational and labour market participation. Students also completed a background questionnaire about their families, educational and vocational plans, and attitudes to school. In follow-up telephone interviews, students provided further information on their schools and on part-time work. In 2004, members of the Y03 cohort were contacted again for telephone interviews.