Parent involvement and parent education has been a topic of concern for teachers and care givers for decades. However, the research and recommended practices have focused on programs researched with and designed for parents using the White middle-class as it's targeted population (Fine & Henry, 1989; Harman & Brim, 1980; Powell, 1988). Such a limited focus clearly excludes much of the parent population in American society.

In this study, parents participating in Cooperative Extension parent education classes in four states (North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Delaware) were asked to respond to a questionnaire about their parenting education needs. Preliminary findings indicate that differences exist between and among groups in how they prefer to receive parenting information. All groups indicated a high use of their own parents as a source of information, with other family members and friends as secondary and third resources. Indications are that parent educators must understand parents as adult learners by offering a wide range of learning opportunities through more creative, diverse, and innovative program designs and delivery strategies.