THIS EXTENSIVE STUDY INVESTIGATED THE SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS PROVIDED BY TWELVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND EIGHT HIGH SCHOOLS IN EIGHT NEW JERSEY COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IN, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT, AND SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOLS. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS ARE ASSESSED ACCORDING TO (1) THE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION OF 1,392 MOTHERS OF FIRST-, FIFTH-, AND 10TH-GRADE CHILDREN, (2) THE MOTHERS' WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT INCREASED SCHOOL SPENDING, AND (3) THE EXPECTED RATE OF THEIR VOTING IN FAVOR OF A SCHOOL BOND ISSUE. DATA WERE DRAWN ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM INTERVIEW SCHEDULES. THE EIGHT COMMUNITIES WHICH WERE SELECTED CONSISTED OF A RURAL VILLAGE, TWO SMALL TOWNS, FOUR SUBURBS, AND A MEDIUM-SIZED CITY. NEGRO AND WHITE PARENTS FROM THE MIDDLE- AND WORKING-CLASSES ARE RESIDENTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES. THE THEORETICAL BASIS FOR THE STUDY IS PRESENTED IN AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION OF COMMUNICATION STRUCTURES EXISTING IN AND BETWEEN SUCH SOCIAL SYSTEMS AS THE SCHOOL AND ITS PARENT POPULATION. (LB)