A preliminary study assessed the efficacy of pre-service and in-service early childhood education programs centered on a policy of combining philosophy, theory, and program practice. Questions were designed to: (1) provide data to be used to determine whether early childhood teachers used an understanding of curriculum philosophy and theory as a basis for program planning; (2) generate information related to the topic of program planning; and (3) permit the development of an instrument that could be used throughout the early childhood field as a basis for gathering data for the purpose of enhancing university in-service and pre-service curriculum planning courses. Results of the pilot study supported the notion that some early childhood educators use an understanding of curriculum philosophy and theory as a basis for program planning. Whether this knowledge is related to participants' pre-service or in-service education, or a combination of the two, remains unclear. (RH)