The role of family in educational and occupational decisions was examined for 2,118 students from 11 school districts and 3 community colleges in Texas. Sixty-six percent were Mexican American, 20 percent were Caucasian, and 14 percent were of other ethnic backgrounds. In all, 1,406 Mexican American students were surveyed; 55 of the 187 community college students surveyed were Mexican American. In addition, 581 parents responded to a mailed questionnaire, and 100 others responded to a telephone questionnaire. An extensive literature review was conducted. Both the literature review and survey results indicated that parents of Mexican American students have more influence over the educational and occupational decisions made by their children than parents of the other ethnic backgrounds have over their children's decisions. Mexican American parents wanted more education for their children than the children wanted for themselves. Most of the Mexican American students surveyed expected to continue their education beyond high school, and only a very low percentage had ever seriously considered dropping out of school. The female Mexican American respondents generally valued education more highly and felt their parents' influence on their educational decisions to be greater than their male counterparts did. (Contains 7 figures, 24 appended tables, and 82 references.) (MN)