AUSTRALIAN parent groups will explore the boundaries of parental expectations of schools after concerns that some parents become too pushy with teachers.

Two national parent organisations, representing families at public and private schools, have established a body to help families and schools work out their relationship.

The Family-School & Community Partnerships Bureau website says it was set up this month to "help Australian schools, families and communities build sustainable, collaborative, productive relationships".

The Herald yesterday reported that private schools in America were asking parents to sign behaviour contracts in response to "helicopter parents", who hovered around schools, harassing and second-guessing teachers.

The Association of Independent Schools of NSW shares concerns that parents of children at independent schools have increasing expectations of teachers.

The executive director of the Australian Parents Council, which represents families at private schools, Ian Dalton, said parents had every right to be engaged with their child's school. He said the new bureau had been established by his organisation in collaboration with the Australian Council of State School Organisations, representing families at public schools.

"We haven't had a dialogue around the boundaries - what the mutual responsibilities that parents and schools have," Mr Dalton said. "We should be able to articulate things better to people and not get to the point of making it a contractual arrangement."

Mr Dalton said parental expectations had increased, and this may relate to parents having just one or two children. "That child becomes more central to their focus than if they have five or six. The investment in the outcomes of those children is much higher."

He said it was important for parents to be engaged and informed about their children's teachers, and some teachers could be overly defensive when approached by a parent, which could lead to an unhealthy relationship.

Michelle FitzGerald, of the NSW Parents Council, said most parents dealt responsibly and professionally with teachers in parent-teacher interviews.

"We would not encourage parents to become overly involved in the workings of a school unless invited to, and there are many cases where parents have been able to add value to a school using their specific skills," she said.