The effects of academic self-concept and the learning environment on science and mathematics achievement were studied in remote and rural Western Australia. The Western Australian School Effectiveness Study explored achievement in 28 urban and rural high schools. In the first phase, survey instruments were developed and piloted in two schools, and in the second phase, a 3-year longitudinal study of government, Catholic, and independent secondary schools was implemented. The proposed third phase will use a case study approach to examine some exceptionally effective schools. All results tended to be lower for students from remote areas, but it was suspected that these variations may be related to socioeconomic status. Teachers perceived that students were more supportive in metropolitan schools, and students in rural schools thought that their teachers and peers were more supportive. Students in country schools appeared to be more satisfied with their schools. Achievement scores were not readily comparable because of a lack of prior achievement data. Background and context effects explained a large amount of variance in the classroom, but little was found to explain student achievement at the school or classroom level of analysis. Most variation in science and mathematics achievement was at the student level. (Contains 4 figures, 15 tables, and 106 references.) (SLD)