This paper explores the hypothesis that parents consider preschool education to be more important for boys than for girls. To test this hypothesis, the following questions were examined: (1) Are boys disproportionately enrolled in nursery school? and (2) Do parents emphasize different reasons for enrolling boys and girls? The effect of social class on these differences was also examined. Questionnaires concerning 41 reasons for enrolling one's child in nursery school were distributed to the parents of all children enrolled in nursery schools in a midwestern city. Completed questionnaires were received from 599 parents (67%). The mean ratings given by parents of girls and by parents of boys to each of the 41 reasons were compared separately for each social class. Only one difference out of 82 reached significance. However, significantly more reasons were rated as more important by boys' parents than by girls' Parents in both classes. When differences in enrollment patterns were examined, results indicated a significantly higher enrollment of boys than girls in lower class schools, but not in middle class schools. The results suggest that nursery school may be valued more highly for boys, especially by lower class parents. (BD)