This study investigates how educators and parents with migration biographies in Austria perceive and negotiate parental involvement through Auernheimer’s (2013) heuristic model of intercultural communication, focusing on power asymmetries, collective experiences, stereotypes, and differing cultural scripts. Situated in the context of German language support classes (GLSC)—a policy introduced in 2018/19 that segregates learners of the language of instruction for up to 15 hours per week—the study highlights structural dynamics that position parents outside key decisions and shape home–school relationships. The study draws on three sub-studies comprising 20 primary teachers, 14 school principals, and 13 parents. Data were analyzed using framework analysis following Goldsmith’s (2021) five-step process (familiarization, theme development via Auernheimer’s (2013) model, charting into educator/parent matrices, and mapping/interpretation), with an explicit search for asset-based views to identify counter-perspectives. Representation levels were assigned by word-count bands (0, 1–50, 51–150, 151+ words) and adjusted through contextual weighting to capture depth and significance within units of analysis (educators and parents). Findings indicate pronounced power imbalances, including schools’ control over processes and outcomes, constrained parental access to critical information, and the extension of institutional authority into families’ language practices. Parents reported exclusion driven by language barriers and opaque GLSC decisions, while some exercised agency by contesting classifications and advocating for equity, transparency, and individualized support. Educator accounts reflected deficit-oriented assumptions about parental interest and engagement and prescriptive expectations regarding home–school language use, underscoring stereotype-driven interpretations of family practices. Parents emphasized differing cultural scripts for roles and responsibilities, frequently viewing school as the primary site for learning and homework and calling for more collaborative, frequent communication. Overall, the findings indicate that institutional control over information and expectations structurally sustains asymmetries: educators define parental roles, set language norms (including guidance on home/first-language use), and delimit decision-making boundaries that parents are expected to accept—patterns also documented in prior research (e.g., Eliyahu-Levi, 2024; Martin et al., 2025). At the same time, parents’ demonstrated agency—challenging classifications, questioning testing practices, and advocating for individualized support—signals a capacity for more reciprocal partnerships if schools create transparent, participatory decision-making channels (Chen & Miao, 2024). Implications include reframing parental involvement through asset-based perspectives, enhancing culturally responsive communication, and preparing teachers to recognize diverse family norms and systemic barriers (Alisaari et al., 2019).

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