This report provides some initial findings from the "Study of Parental Involvement in Four Federal Education Programs." The four programs concerned are Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, ESEA Title VI, ESEA Title VII, and Project Follow Through. This report describes parental involvement in these programs and identifies some factors contributing to parental involvement, without attempting to evaluate the parental involvement components of the programs or to reveal the values of, or the specific forms taken by, parental involvement. The main conclusion of the report, based on the 1979 Federal Programs Survey of project officers in a nationally representative sample of districts and schools, is that legislation and regulation can provide powerful motivation for the fostering and support of parental involvement. Secondary conclusions are that funding levels influence the extent of parental involvement activities and that the extent to which districts implement mandated activities should be monitored. The report presents historical background material, study objectives and methodology, survey design, and findings concerning four aspects of each of the four programs: the extent of parental involvement in governance and in provision of educational offerings, and the coordination and financing of parental involvement activities. (Author/PGD)