Parents of typical adolescents often find themselves feeling unprepared to face the challenges of child rearing. Though parent education programs are readily available for parents of young children, parents of adolescents, ages 11-13, have difficulty finding relevant, age-appropriate curriculum. The literature indicates that parent education programs are providing valuable information and, indeed, are effectively meeting their own intended goals but there is no indication that the parents' needs themselves are being met (Dembo et al, 1985). The purpose of this study is to determine precisely what parents of typical adolescents need most in a parent education program; to examine if parenting needs differ based on demographic backgrounds, and to determine if the goals of existing programs are, in fact, aligned with the parents' articulated needs. Using a qualitative approach, the respondents were made up of an ethnically and demographically diverse group of 25 parents whose 11 to 13-year-old children attended school within the Los Angeles Unified School District. Significant findings indicated that, although existing parent education programs do meet their intended goals, and even address some parents' identified needs, parents still have specific concerns about academic achievement, teaching values, and parent-child communication. This study also identified that differences in ethnic, social, and economic background should be taken into consideration when addressing parent needs. The implications of the findings are that input from parents is crucial to bridging the gap between program content and identified parent needs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]