The troubled relation of working-class families to education systems is one of the deep structural problems of modern education, which is taking a new shape under neo-liberalism. The issue is explored in the context of an Australian reform intended to make upper-secondary education more inclusive, especially through expanded vocational education. A spectrum of family projects is found. Generally working-class families are more concerned to get their children to the new labour market minimum qualification than to pursue meritocratic projects. Families' practical involvement in schools shows a wide range, from supportive to conflictual, the modal pattern involving an accepted division of labour between home and school. This positions the students as key decision makers and communicators. The working-class families interviewed are not strongly market-oriented. Vocational education reforms are welcomed, and reinforce working-class goodwill towards schooling, but are still marginal to the main social class dynamics shaping secondary education.
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