African American enrollments in private schools are increasing (Benson, 1991). Although the majority of African American students remain in public schools, it is clear that for a growing number of African American families private schooling is viewed as a viable option (Institute for Independent Education, 1990). This trend has deepened scholarly interest in the utilization of private school options by African Americans (see, for example, Slaughter & Johnson, 1988). To discern more clearly how African American parents who have made this critical choice perceive its social and cultural significance, the present study uses Asante's (1980) model of Afrocentric transformation as a framework for analyzing parents' perceptions of African American independent schooling and their expectations of it. It also places the perceived differences in Africancentered expression among African American independent schools into a broader conceptual framework by examining indications of Africancentered preferences among parents whose children are enrolled in them. The intent is thus to facilitate a larger discussion about the influence of identity perspective on the conceptualization of education and its social context.