This final volume in a series of seven describes the methodologies used in a study of four federal programs in 57 school districts across the country. In order to accomplish the study's objectives, two types of substudies were implemented--a federal programs survey and the individual site studies. The federal programs survey data were collected from four independent samples of districts (and schools within those districts) to provide a national representation of participants within each of the four target programs--the Emergency School Aid Act, Titles I and VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Follow Through. Separate questionnaires were prepared for the school and district levels and for the Follow Through projects. The site studies provided information not supplied by the questionnaires, such as the contributory factors and consequences of parent participation. Field researchers conducted interviews, observations, and document analyses over an extended period of time. The sample for site studies represented schools and districts with both greater and smaller degrees of parental involvement, as determined from the federal programs survey. Data were collected on parent involvement through five types of activities--governance, instruction, parent education, school support, and school-community relations. The methodologies employed were judged to be efficient, thorough, and valid. (Author/WD)