This study investigated how elementary teachers used one particular form of planning time available to them. Interviews with and observations of 30 teachers from 6 suburban elementary schools examined their use of a 30-minute planning period. The interviews and observations produced 24 activities which were listed on a questionnaire and circulated to teachers and parents. The teachers and parents ranked the items based on their perceptions of frequency of engagement. These teacher and parent rankings were then correlated for the two groups and with the frequency and duration of teacher task performance observed during the planning time. The differences in the correlation of teacher and parent perceptions, when coupled with the variability in parent rankings, suggest that parents lacked understanding of planning time available to teachers and how it was actually used. Teachers used their time in discretionary and flexible ways. Very little of the time was devoted to tasks that would enhance instructional delivery. (Contains 17 references.) (SM)