In 1999-2000, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Board of Directors established the Standards Impact Research Group (SIRG) in response to the continuing need for a clearer understanding of the role of standards in the improvement of mathematics education. SIRG has undertaken a number of activities in support of its objectives, culminating in the September 2003 Research Catalyst Conference. These proceedings document the discussions and outcomes of eight working groups, as well as the presentations made at three plenary sessions during the conference. Also included are the SIRG research briefs, produced as background documents and distributed to all participants in advance of the conference. This book begins with a foreword (Johnny W. Lott), Acknowledgments (Board of Directors of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), and Introduction: Studying the Role and Influence of Standards on K-12 Mathematics Education--The Standards Impact Research Group Catalyst Conference (Joan Ferrini-Mundy). It then is divided into eight SIRG Briefs, four Panel Summaries, and eight Working Group Reports, which follows. The SIRG Briefs section contains: (1) Overview of the SIRG Research Briefs and Research Agenda (Standards Impact Research Group); (2) What Is a Standard? (William F. Tate); (3) What Does It Mean to Be Standards-Based? Issues in Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Studying Alignment with Standards (Joan Ferrini-Mundy); (4) Recent Research on the Influence of Standards: Insights and Methodological Approaches (Robert E. Floden and Suzanne M. Wilson); (5) Are the NCTM Standards Working? Perspectives on Student Outcomes as a Point of Impact in Research on Standards (W. Gary Martin); (6) Advocating for Equity and Diversity within the Context of Standards-Based Reform (Danny Bernard Martin, Jose Franco, and Karen Mayfield-Ingram); (7) Examining Teacher Quality (Mary M. Kennedy); and (8) Studying the Influence and Impact of "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics": The Role of Schools and Districts in Teacher Capacity Building (Mary Kay Stein). The Panel Summaries section contains: (1) Plenary Panel: Current Education Research in the United States (Robert E. Floden); (2) Perspectives Panel I: Policy, Practice, and Research (Joan Ferrini-Mundy); (3) Perspectives Panel II: International Perspectives (Judith Sowder); and (4) Summary of Remarks by Finbarr (Barry) Sloane (Judith Sowder). The Working Group Reports section contains: (1) Assessment and Student Achievement (Linda Dager Wilson and Kaye Stacey); (2) The Changing Nature of Schooling and School Demographics (William F. Tate and Pauline Lipman); (3) Instructional Materials and Curriculum (Jo Ellen Roseman); (4) Local Policy and Community Context (Mary Kay Stein and Patrick Shields); (5) State and National Policy (W. Gary Martin and Andrew Porter); (6) Teaching and Learning (Hilda Borko, Carolyn Kieran, and Frank K. Lester); (7) Teacher Preparation (Robert E. Floden and Randolph Philipp); and (8) Teacher Quality and Professional Development (Michael Knapp and Judith Sowder). The book concludes with three appendices listing conference participants, speakers, and agenda.