A longitudinal study involving well-educated first-generation Chinese American and European American parents and their children explored the parents' involvement in their children' schooling in the primary school years. This paper is based on data collected at Time 3 (1997). At Time 1 (1993), 40 Chinese American and 40 European American preschool and kindergarten children and their parents from the Chicago (Illinois ) area participated. Ninety-four and 91% of the original families participated at Time 2 (1995) and Time 3. To determine the relative contribution of three types of parent involvement (engagement in school activities, personal involvement, and cognitive-intellectual involvement) to the child's school performance and liking of school, multiple regressions were performed. For Chinese American children, 37% of the variance in their school performance was predicted by their parents' involvement variables, with cognitive-intellectual involvement the most important contributor to school performance. Personal involvement also predicted school performance. For European American students, 11% of the variance in the child's school performance ratings was predicted by the parent involvement variables, and 25% of the child's liking of school subjects was predicted by the block of parent involvement activities. Parent involvement of the cognitive-intellectual type appears to be more important than parent involvement in school activities in the academic success of both Chinese American and European American students, but parent involvement in school activities directly influenced the European American child's liking of school subjects. (Contains 2 figures, 4 tables, and 8 references.) (SLD)