Interviews with the parents of 153 randomly selected fifth-grade students in urban and suburban schools in the Chicago (Illinois) area provided the data for addressing two hypotheses: first, that parents' choice among educational alternatives for their children may depend on parental dispositions toward the role of schooling in their children's lives; and second, that these parental dispositions may be products of the parents' socioeconomic backgrounds, the academic abilities of their children, and the sex of their children. Analysis of the data revealed that the higher the educational attainment of parents, the more carefully they considered schools when locating the family residence and the more advanced schooling they expected their children to obtain. The number of contacts with teachers initiated by parents was affected particularly by the parents' educational level and the sex of the child involved; parents of boys initiated a significantly higher number of contacts. The study suggests that the benefits of parental support and involvement accrue most often to boys with higher academic capabilities and better educated parents. Further, patterns of parental choice and involvement seem more likely to maintain the social status quo than to challenge it. (Author/PGD)