The Congress of the United States, in passing the National Defense Education Act of 1958, reflected an ever increasing desire on the part of the Nation to improve the teaching of science and mathematics in its schools. The lack of adequate facilities and equipment had long been considered a major handicap to effective science and mathematics instruction. Practically no data were available, however, to indicate the specific kinds of equipment that were lacking or to judge the adequacy or inadequacy of facilities in public high schools of different types and sizes. Information was not available, either, to indicate whether these schools provided better equipment and facilities for some subject areas than for others. This study was undertaken to supply data which could be helpful in locating the shortages and showing their nature. It is hoped that the present bulletin will point the way to effective use of funds now available for science and mathematics facilities and equipment through the National Defense Education Act, and will highlight those problems in achieving improved teaching of the two subjects which may require a study more intensive than that permitted by the scope of this bulletin. Questionnaires are appended. A bibliography is included. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 8 figures and 24 tables.) [Best copy available has been provided.]