This guide describes the 'eyes, yardsticks, and noses' that will help communities consider goals for mathematics education, evaluate curricula, and plan a successful adoption process. This guide focuses on the 13 programs supported by the K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center, though many of the ideas discussed are not specific to these particular programs. This guide also addresses issues involved in curriculum selection and implementation and offers ideas to help work through both of these phases. The focus for the selection phase is on assembling a selection committee, assessing resources and needs, and creating guidelines and criteria for evaluating different programs. The curriculum implementation section focuses on ways districts can work toward successful use of the materials they have purchased, planning a realistic and effective roll-out strategy, supporting teachers, and building community buy-in and assistance. This guide presents a comprehensive view of curriculum selection and implementation. It is more of an ideal view than a picture of how any individual district goes about adopting new mathematics curricula. The purpose is to convey a range of issues that may be confronted, decisions that will have to be made, and strategies that need to be determined, and to offer a variety of procedures and processes that others have found useful. (ASK)