The purpose of the study was to profile perceptions and beliefs of Oregon State University international student parents who have children in area public elementary schools. The research methods included a survey to 26 self-selected participants, and seven tape-recorded interviews with volunteers from the survey sample. These study subjects displayed a large range of origin, cultural backgrounds, seniority in the area, family size and views towards their children's education. Data collected were categorized and interpreted with reference to the current theories in education. The study findings included the international parents' domains of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their children's education in the area schools, the parents' goals for their children's elementary education and the parents' opinions and suggestions regarding parent involvement and elementary education reform as related to improving elementary education for international children enrolled in American schools. The domains of parents' satisfaction with their children's education were analyzed in three major groups: educational outcomes, skills and subjects offered by schools. It also described the domains of the international parents' dissatisfaction and their criticism about school activities and their organization. The international parents' goals for their children's elementary education were analyzed into five groups: Intellectual knowledge, personality development, acquisition of life skills, preservation of parents' cultural values and education for a multicultural life. The parents' involvement in their children's education at home and at school was analyzed concerning parents' comprehension of its necessity, initiatives, helpers and barriers for involvement, and suggestions to improve their children's learning. Recommendations for further research into international children's education were presented. They were oriented towards replication of the study to an extended population nationwide in different schools and at different levels. They also suggested widening the research methods and categories of parents, and matching parents' views with that of school agents to coherently reform education in its complexity involving the whole community of educators. / Graduation date: 1998