Navajo students have a 31% dropout rate, and it has been getting worse. Although considerable research has examined the reasons behind this dropout rate, little attention has been given to parental expectations of their children's education. Interviews with 45 parents of students attending Montezuma Creek Elementary School, a public school on the Navajo Reservation in San Juan County, Utah, investigated what parents expected of schools and how these expectations were being met. Education of these parents ranged from no formal education to associate degrees; most had attended a combination of public school and boarding school. All parents wanted their children to go to school, but no parent described any thought or action involving threats, rewards, bribes, or other manipulations in order to persuade a child to continue or complete schooling. When asked what they expected from their child's education, every parent answered, "a good job." In exploring the meaning of a good job, it became obvious that the real objective was a secure survival. In contrast, becoming an educated person did not have a high priority. The Navajo parents viewed the utilitarian aspects of schooling as desirable, but these aspects do not include a vision of who the child is, the child's place in the community, and what the community can become with the child's help. The results indicate that far too little educational attention has been given to the rights and responsibilities of dual citizenship in the Navajo Nation and the United States. Schools could become more relevant by acquainting children with community needs and paths to community service. Six tables summarize interview responses, and an appendix contains sample interview questions. Contains 12 references. (TD)