Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are used to provide a report on moving student achievement toward the standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). These standards established broad goals about what students should know and should be able to do in mathematics from kindergarten through high school. NAEP results indicate that our society places a relatively low value on mathematics; one-fourth or more of high school seniors believe mathematics is not useful for careers or personal decision making. NAEP results support on overall improvement in mathematics achievement, but students do not display adequate confidence in their ability to do mathematics, and there are large disparities in achievement among groups. Student problem-solving skills are weak and their ability to communicate mathematically is far from that demanded by the standards. Students lack the ability to apply mathematics to practical situations. Considerable distance remains to be covered before the vision of the NCTM standards is realized. Suggestions offered for furthering these goals center on the education and support of teachers as agents of change. (Contains 35 figures.) (SLD)