Because a review of the literature showed little systematic knowledge about effective school-home communication at the secondary level, a survey of parents of secondary-level students was undertaken in a large West Virginia school system that had begun to achieve apparently effective school-home rapport. A stratified, random sample of parents was selected to represent two high schools serving mixes of rural and urban families of varied socioeconomic status. The sample of 120 families was stratified to include equal numbers of 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students and equal numbers of boys and girls within grade levels. Interviews with the parents sought information on actual home-school communication practices in the system, parents' reactions to such practices, and their suggestions for improvements and possible innovations in communications. Results show that school newsletters were most often mentioned as the contact between home and school, though personal contact with school personnel (albeit infrequent) and interim academic progress reports also proved to be significant contacts between school and home. Parents responded most positively (1) to regular and timely newsletters on school activities and (2) to being notified when their children were having difficulties and needed assistance or correction. Although parents generally lacked information on what they could best do in response to problems at school, an effective communications program should include followup suggestions in its early notification of parents. (Author/JW)