This document is the third of three related volumes. They present the rationale, background, and framework for a comprehensive monitoring system being developed for the National Science Foundation. The system is being designed to gather information about the effects of national, state, and local policy actions designed to change the teaching and learning of mathematics in the schools of America. The papers included were produced by project staff, commissioned, or reprinted from previous works. Expert reviews and critiques of sets of papers are included. In this volume, papers are presented which address issues and concerns that grow out of the argument that the learning of mathematics happens in a social institution, the school, and that instruction is directed by an adult human, the teacher. The papers: (1) situate the mathematics reform movement in the social reality of schools; (2) examine the social myths surrounding the notions of curricular reform; and (3) consider teacher beliefs about professionalism and perceptions about mathematics. The final section summarizes the entire monograph, reflects on what has been said, and draws implications for future work. (PK)