Schools of choice are fast becoming part of the national debate on educational reform. This study, part of a larger study of schools and families, examined how the work context of teachers and opportunities for parent involvement differ under different choice arrangements, and investigated aspects of the sociobureaucratic context of teachers' work that have the greatest impact on opportunities for parent involvement and communication under different choice arrangements. The study focused on four sets of variables: parent choice arrangements, teacher work context, opportunities for parental involvement, and parent characteristics. Data were collected from 14 metropolitan high schools of choice--Catholic schools and single and multi-focused magnet public schools. To be included in the project, schools had to serve a large proportion of minority or low-income students. Data were collected through a teacher survey augmented by information provided by parents in a separate, parallel survey. Findings indicated that schools with a unified, focused mission, set in a context of caring, exerted a greater influence on parent involvement than either socioeconomic status, institutional instability, or bureaucratic functioning. Appendixes provide survey measures and scale construction. (Contains approximately 50 references.) (LL)