This digest examines barriers to parent participation in the education of Mexican American students, and successful programs and strategies for overcoming those barriers. Research has found family participation in education to be twice as predictive of academic achievement as family socioeconomic status. Mexican American parents care about their children's education but may not be involved in it because they believe the roles of home and school are sharply delineated and they respect the teacher's role. Other barriers to parent participation include a negative view of the school system, past negative experiences with education, and language barriers. Schools can open the doors to more parental involvement through culturally sensitive outreach efforts such as bilingual communication between school and home, home visits, informal parent-organized meetings at a neutral community site, and, in general, a personal approach. Examples of successful family programs and activities include an intergenerational literacy program, informal education on family functioning and child development, after-school and summer classes, parenting training, advocacy training, mother-daughter career programs, and empowerment programs. Partnerships between families and schools involve continuous two-way communication and shared responsibility for educational outcomes. The attitudes and practices of teachers and principals made a difference in the amount of parental involvement and in the achievement of students. Training can help faculty and family members take on the new roles needed for effective partnerships. (SV)