This study examined parental beliefs regarding developmentally appropriate preschool programming. A survey instrument based on National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) guidelines for developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) was designed to assess beliefs concerning: (1) curricular goals; (2) teaching strategies; (3) guidance of socio-emotional development; (4) aesthetic development; (5) motivation; (6) parent-teacher relations; (7) assessment of children; (8) program entry; and (9) staffing. The survey was distributed to 160 parents of both preschool and K-3 normally achieving children and children with handicapping conditions in western New York State. Findings revealed that parents of normally achieving school age children indicated a better knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices than parents of preschool children and school-age children with handicaps. Teacher-directed instruction was more favored by parents of children with handicapping conditions, and the majority of all parents felt that paper and pencil tasks and coloring were more important than play activities using play dough, sand, and painting. (A copy of the parent survey is appended.) (MDM)