A study evaluated the role of three curriculum foundational areas--philosophical, sociological, and psychological--with particular emphasis on the philosophical basis for curriculum planning. Impressions on curriculum were gained from the literature and from practitioners. Interviews were conducted with a state director of business and office education, superintendent, curriculum director, director of vocational education, principal, business education department chairman, business education faculty member, parent, and student. The instrument used was "What Do You Believe?," 15 statements of ideas expressed in educational literature pertaining to a line of action for curriculum improvement. Reactions to six statements were in strong agreement. The functioning philosophy of participants would, therefore, include those statements dealing with exposing students to what man knows and does not know, personalized curriculum, benefits of learning from peers and groups, learning difficulties beginning in disturbed home relationships, limits of the subject-matter patterns of organization, and encouragement of developing creative thinking. A statement dealing with a uniform policy of increased homework would be discarded because of strong disagreement. The remaining eight statements would require additional discussion and clarification. A comparison of the school district or high school's expressed philosophy with the individual's functioning philosophy was consistent for all participants. (The instrument and participant responses are appended.) (YLB)