The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has been dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of mathematics, science its inception in 1920. The mission of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is to provide the vision and leadership necessary to ensure a mathematics education of the highest quality for all students. NCTM presented an agenda for action with recommendations for School Mathematics of the 1980s.

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recommends that:
1. Problem solving be the focus of school mathematics in the 1980s.
2. Basic skills in mathematics be defined to encompass more than computational facility.
3. Mathematics programs take full advantage of the power of calculators and computers at all grade levels.
4. Stringent standards of both effectiveness and efficiency be applied to the teaching of mathematics.
5. The success of mathematics programs and student learning be evaluated by a wider range of measures than conventional testing.
6. More mathematics study be required for all students and a flexible curriculum with a greater range of options be designed to accommodate the diverse needs of the student population.
7. Mathematics teachers demand of themselves and their colleagues a high level of professionalism.
8. Public support for mathematics instruction be raised to a level commensurate with the importance of mathematical understanding to individuals and society.