In this collection of position papers and descriptive materials, staff members and consultants of the Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP) outline the philosophy and goals of this curriculum development project. Rejecting the notion that mathematics should be taught as a collection of facts to be mastered, these writers claim the goal of promoting mathematical literacy; in their view the content of mathematics is reasoning, symbolization, abstraction, generalization, and the search for pattern in ideas. They advocate a functional-relational approach to mathematics teaching, and a "pedagogy of situations" whereby mathematics is taught by classroom analysis of real-life circumstances. In these papers they provide the rationale for CSMP curriculum development, a general description of materials being developed for grades K-12, a brief description of more specific content goals, and a detailed exposition of the use of the Papy minicomputer, an inexpensive manipulative device which can be used for performing calculations otherwise beyond the reach of primary children. A list of other publications available from CSMP is included. (SD)