School administrators and school board members should take an active role in supporting teachers of mathematics by accepting responsibility for

understanding the goals for the mathematics education of all students set forth in the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and the needs of teachers of mathematics in realizing these goals in their classrooms;

recruiting qualified teachers of mathematics, with particular focus on the need for the teaching staff to be diverse;

providing a support system for beginning and experienced teachers of mathematics to ensure that they grow professionally and are encouraged to remain in teaching;

making teaching assignments based on the qualifications of teachers;

involving teachers centrally in designing and evaluating programs for professional development specific to mathematics;

supporting teachers in self-evaluation and in analyzing, evaluating, and improving their teaching with colleagues and supervisors;

providing adequate resources, equipment, time, and funding to support the teaching and learning of mathematics as envisioned in this document;

establishing outreach activities with parents, guardians, leaders in business and industry, and others in the community to build support for quality mathematics programs;

promoting excellence in teaching mathematics by establishing an adequate reward system, including salary, promotion, and conditions of work.

The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and the Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics lay out a vision for school mathematics and instruction that should become the framework for planning school mathematics programs. It is essential that principals, superintendents, and other administrators understand these documents so that they can represent the mathematics program to the community, especially to parents, in ways that help generate the support teachers need to implement a high-quality mathematics program that meets the needs of every student. School administrators must understand that the mathematics education called for in these standards requires time for mathematics; time for teachers to plan, to reflect, to help each other improve instruction; time for professional development; and time to interact with the community. The payoff for such commitment is the realization of a mathematics program that fosters the development of mathematical power for all students.

As our society grows more diverse ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and in the integration of persons with disabilities into mainstream institutions, the teaching force must also change to reflect this diversity. For example, having a school environment that includes teachers of mathematics who are American Indian, African American, or Hispanic will help children of such ethnic groups see themselves as capable members of society who can do significant mathematics. To achieve this diversity among teachers of mathematics requires aggressive, systematic, and long-term support for the young people who are recruited into the mathematics teaching profession.

This should begin with the school community itself. If the administration, the school board, and the parents show their respect and support for teachers and teaching as a profession, then talented young people are more likely to consider teaching as a career choice. Once in the profession, beginning teachers need supportive guidance to help them develop their skills and habits of mind as teachers of mathematics. Such beginning teacher programs are essential to retain talented young people in what is a very demanding, as well as rewarding, profession.

The teaching of mathematics, like any other subject, requires knowledge and experience that is specific to that discipline. Although one may talk about tasks, discourse, environment, and analysis in relation to any school subject, the knowledge of how students learn, of the subject matter content, and of the pedagogy are specific to that discipline. An excellent social studies teacher should not be assigned a section of mathematics under the assumption that his or her teaching knowledge and skills will transfer. Teaching assignments must be made on the basis of the qualifications of teachers.

Schools have major responsibilities for fostering the professional development of teachers of mathematics. Their work in supporting appropriate professional development programs, promoting collegiality, and recognizing the role of teachers as responsible professionals does much to enhance quality programs and instruction in mathematics education. Schools should allocate a fixed percent of their budgets for faculty development activities.

The unique challenges facing teachers of mathematics are best addressed when they are provided with opportunities to engage in ongoing, subject-specific, professional development programs. Their concerns and interests are met when teachers play a major role in identifying and assessing their own needs. Planning and developing continuing education programs should take place within individual schools and school districts and should highlight teacher involvement both in program development and program implementation.

Professional programs require the commitment of resources, equipment, time, and funding. For example, the ready availability of technology in the workplace and the implications of that resource for use in mathematics teaching and learning underscore the critical need for including this equipment as instructional and learning tools.

As a part of professional development, principals should allocate time for teachers to build collegial links with other faculty. Teachers need these opportunities to share ideas, plan interdisciplinary lessons, and explore instructional strategies. Returning to the university to pursue graduate programs in mathematics education allows teachers to deepen their knowledge and skills in mathematics and in mathematical pedagogy. Schools that are supportive of such activities for teachers will benefit from a teaching staff that continues to learn and to improve the mathematics program and students' successes in mathematics.

Mathematical power for our students cannot be developed with chalkboards and ditto sheets, inadequate class time, and six classes a day per teacher. Mathematics teachers need appropriate resources. Calculators, computers, and manipulatives are as integral to learning and doing mathematics as chemicals are to a chemistry laboratory. If mathematics teachers are to manage the growing diversity in their classrooms, time to plan, to study, to reflect, to develop curriculum, to confer with colleagues is essential.

Mathematical power must be a concept to which we commit for all students, not just for the privileged few. This requires a commitment from the school and community for adequate funding to support the teaching and learning of mathematics. However, in order for the community to be supportive of the mathematics program they must know what the program goals are and must understand the kind of support needed by teachers to carry out the program. Here the school administration, especially the principal, is key. Principals who take the time to work with their teachers in developing a coherent, powerful mathematics program and, further, take the responsibility to be the advocate for the teachers to the community can make it possible for teachers to teach and for students to learn as envisioned in the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and in these Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics.

In order for teachers to move toward the vision of teaching in these standards, school administrators must establish a reward system, including salary and promotion, that supports and encourages teachers as they grow professionally. One productive and rewarding way to support teachers in making improvements in the mathematics program is to fund extended year contracts for summer pay to develop special projects that teachers have proposed.