As part of a larger study of implementation of alternative assessment, a survey of parent opinions about standardized tests and performance assessments was conducted in three elementary schools. In the three participating schools, 3rd-grade teachers attended workshops on assessment development and implemented these practices in their classrooms. Samples of 69 parents from participating schools and 36 from three control schools were interviewed after completing questionnaires. Findings suggest that parents' favorable ratings of standardized national tests, supported by a Gallup Poll on the issue, do not imply a preference for such measures over other less formal sources of information for monitoring their children's progress or for judging the quality of education at their local schools. Parents tended to rely on the teacher to tell them how their child was doing relative to others, and they seldom mentioned comparison to external and national norms. Even for accountability purposes, parents preferred talking to the teacher and seeing student work. Most parents endorsed the performance assessment problems they saw, although a few expressed concern over the subjectivity of such measures. Twelve tables present survey and interview findings. An appendix presents excerpts from some parent interviews. (Contains 12 references.) (SLD)