A structural model suggesting complex causal interrelationships among eight variables which contribute to variance in student learning is described. The variables include mother's and father's educational level; Relaxed Test Comfort Score; Specific Math Comfort Score; Attitudinal Continuing Motivation Score; Behavioral Continuing Motivation Score; Criterion Scaling of Success Attribution on Test Score; and Total Math Score. The data set used to investigate the fit of the model consists of the test results of 2,109 eleventh grade students who took the 1978 Illinois Inventory of Educational Progress, a statewide assessment program. The method of covariance structure analysis was applied to reveal the causal relation among factors including student background motivation and learning outcomes. The model indicates that student motivation and student learning outcomes are most directly affected by student background. Further observations show an indirect influence on student learning outcomes as mediated by the student motivation factor. (Author/AL)