Learning in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is promoted in the educational policies of numerous countries. The achievement of students in Croatia in science and mathematics is low in comparison to their achievement in other school subjects (Burušić, Babarović, Šakić, 2008). The debates about what determines achievement in STEM school subjects in primary school still persist. Several STEM-relevant variables show a significant association with achievement in math and science, including student level variables, school level variables and variables of child’s broader social environment (Hattie, 2009). The aim of this paper is to explain how school achievement in STEM school subjects among primary school students in Croatia is shaped by structurally different spheres of influence, namely by students’ home environment and family, leisure activities, hobbies and school activities. Huitt’s (2003) Transactional Model of the Teaching/Learning Process is used as a theoretical framework. The model proposes that the main variables that impact students’ academic achievement are home and other context variables, school level variables and classroom level variables. When student level characteristics are considered, a small gender differences in school achievement are found in mathematics (Frost, Hyde, & Fennema, 1994; Hyde, Fennema, & Lamon, 1990) and in science (Murphy & Whitelegg, 2006), with girls outperforming boys. Girls’ and boys’ also differ in their motivational orientation to STEM subjects, with girls prefering biological sciences and chemistry, whereas boys are more motivated in physical sciences (Weinburgh, 1995) and in computer-related tasks (e.g. Hayward et al., 2003). In predicting school achievement, it is important to consider not only the characteristics of the students, but also their social environment (Keith & Fine, 2005). When family background is considered, research has shown that socioeconomic status (including parental education, employment status and income) is the best predictor of school achievement (Dahl & Lochner, 2005; Milne & Plourde, 2006) and a good predictor of math and science achievement in primary school (Sirin, 2005). Likewise, among all other aspects of parents’ behavior, parents’ involvement in their children’s schooling is a powerful predictor of academic success (Gutman & Midgley, 2000; Fan & Chen, 2001). Furthermore, the impact of informal, out-of-school activities on STEM educational outcomes are also considerable (Braund & Reiss, 2004). Taking into account the importance of outside of school context and the family variables, in this research we are looking for evidence that achievement can also be improved by positive experience in formal school contexts. We assume that experience during the science and math school lessons can significantly add to explanation of achievement, above family influences and out of school activities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the contribution of students’ attitudes to school science and experiences with STEM school subjects in explaining STEM school achievement, after controlling individual characteristics, family influences and experience in out-of-school activities.

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