The home and parental factors that predict achievement motivation are an important focus in research, because they are a clear point for potential educational and psychological support for students. The present study investigates the achievement motivation of high school students, in the context of parental and home factors such as home resources, in- and out-of-home parental assistance, parenting style, and parental involvement in the school. Among a sample of 100 Australian high school students, hierarchal multiple linear regression analyses were performed in order to determine the relative salience of the proposed home and parental factors predicting students' achievement motivation. Results demonstrated that over and above demographic factors such as age, gender and ethnicity, home and parental factors do indeed play a critical function in predicting student motivation and engagement. Specifically, the study reveals that home resources and parenting style are the most salient home and parental factors associated with key aspects of achievement motivation and engagement (planning, task management, teacher–student relationships — positively, and self-handicapping — negatively). These findings affirm the role of the home and parents in students' academic development. Implications for future research and practice harnessing the present findings are discussed.