The purpose of this study was to obtain the attitudes and beliefs of mathematics teachers in the School District of Philadelphia regarding an eighth grade middle school mathematics core curriculum. This study explored the attitudes and beliefs of teachers in the reform of an eighth grade math "Core Curriculum, Math In Context" (School District of Philadelphia, 2005). The impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requirement to have students academically perform proficiently is significant to this research study. Primarily, the study explained how educational reform allows schools to use unique curricula to fulfill requirements placed on them. Next, the study detailed what constitutes the "Core Curriculum" is and what it brings to students. Then, a rationale was formed to explain why the "Core Curriculum" should be implemented in the School District of Philadelphia. Finally, a discussion is provided about the attitudes and beliefs of eighth grade math teachers concerning the implementation of a middle school math "Core Curriculum" and the efficacy of that change. T-tests were used to determine the teacher's attitudes and beliefs about the implementation of the new math "Core Curriculum, Math In Context." The results were significant for only two of the survey questions, meaning that the subjects had clear opinion for two. One of the significant findings was negative regarding professional development that shows that the teachers believed they were not provided with enough professional development. The other significant find was positive regarding working with a Math Leader/Coach. Teachers felt strongly about having the opportunity to work with a Math Leader/Coach. The conclusions from existing research confirmed that teacher attitudes have been related to teaching practices and that professional development provided by the School District of Philadelphia was beneficial and consistent with the "Core Curriculum, Math In Context." The findings indicated that teachers had a positive attitude about the professional development they received during the implementation of the "Core Curriculum." The study adds clarity to the difficult set of factors within a school that can aid or impede successful implementation of curriculum initiatives designed to improve the achievement of all students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.