Mission Statement for the School Science and Mathematics Association

The School Science and Mathematics Association is dedicated to improving instruction at all levels in and between science and mathematics by providing leadership in the field. Its primary work and publications address the needs of all of those involved in the science and mathematics teaching and learning processes.

SSMA's mission may best be described in terms of three strands of content focus relating to three target audiences. These are the issues relating to (1) teacher education, (2) research, and (3) K-12 teachers and are outlined in the chart below:

SSMA's Three Strands

Strand	Target Audience
Teacher Education Issues related to the Preparation and Enhancement of Teachers	Higher Education Faculty K-16 School Leaders K-16 Classroom Teachers
Research Research into Practice/Practice into Research
K-16 Curriculum and Instruction K-16 Teaching Ideas and Activities

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SSMA's main activities include publication of its journal, School Science and Mathematics and newsletter, Mathematics-Science Connector, conducting national conferences, and funding innovative classroom projects through its Endowment Grant Program.

School Science and Mathematics Journal is published monthly eight times per year. It has been published continuously since 1901. Its most numerous consumers are libraries around the world. The next largest block are members who receive it as part of their membership services.

The Mathematics-Science Connector is a quarterly newsletter with announcements and reports of the Association and other information to be of interest to the membership.

Special publications include monographs in two series: Topics for Teachers for curriculum leaders and Classroom Activities for classroom teacher use.

The annual conferences are held each Fall in various sites around the country. The usual format includes joint sponsorship with one or more state and/or local science teacher or mathematics teacher associations. All conferences include both science and mathematics teaching as well as their integration. SSMA has been a national leader in bringing together science teacher and mathematics teacher organizations within the same state to work together for the first time.

SSMA also provides direct support to classroom teachers through its Endowment Grant Program. Each year up to $500 is made available for exemplary projects that integrate science and mathematics in grades K-12. Also, travel funds to attend the national conference and present the project may be available.

The Association began in Chicago in 1901 under the name of the Central Association of Physics Teachers with C. H. Smith as President. In 1902, the name was changed to the Central Association of Science and Mathematics Teachers (CASMT), and C. H. Smith was again President. It was formally incorporated in the State of Illinois on July 18, 1928. On December 8, 1970, the Association changed its name to School Science and Mathematics Association to match the name of the journal and to eliminate the regional connotation as the organization had been national and international in scope for many years. Throughout its entire history, the Association has served as a sounding board and enabler for numerous related organizations (e.g. Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association in 1904 and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

The official journal of the association started in 1901 when the journal School Science was first published by C.E. Lineberger. A parallel and separate journal, School Mathematics (also published by C.E. Lineberger) had a short stint in 1903 as a bi-monthly supplement to School Science, followed by a few issues in 1904 as a quarterly , stand-alone publication. The Mathematics Teacher was established to ensure that the interests of mathematics teachers not be lost in an organization with an official journal entitled School Science. The Volume 1 (1904) editorial of School Mathematics stated , "we are not, therefore, as independent of our scientific colleagues as we should like to be, ought to be, and--must be"...Let us work together for the improvement of the the teaching of mathematics!". The two ultimately merged in 1905, however, and the name was changed to the current School Science and Mathematics.

The journal was not only the offical journal of the Association but also represented numerous other associations from around the country. It was initially produced by a publishing firm owned and operated by C.E. Lineberger (1901-1904) and subsequently by Charles H. Smith and Charles M. Turton until 1928. In 1928, it was bought out by CASMT and has been published directly by the Association ever since.

The journal has been in continuous publication since its founding, maintaining the original 8-9 issues per year format mirroring the school calendar. The first issue of the school year has always been in October because "September is too busy a month" to do much serious reading in. The last issue was June, or more recently, since 1973, May, with the combined May-June issue. This publication has been a staple for the leadership of the science education and mathematics education communities for nearly a century. Methods of connecting science and mathematics instruction has remained a focal point.

SSMA has published additional monographs throughout its history. It has also had an Annual Meeting and Conference every year since its inception in 1901. 1998 will mark the 98th Annual Conference. The highlights of SSMA activity over the last century have focused on its journal, its conventions, and its nurturing of other state and national science and mathematics school organizations.