<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000931145
<NAME> THE BEAR STEARNS FUNDS

   <NUMBER> 101
   <NAME> HIGH YIELD TOTAL RETURN - CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         97633260
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        85699551
<RECEIVABLES>                                  2912688
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   73866
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                88686105
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      1467706
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            1467706
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     110361292
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          4600353
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          4874843
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                     (11209184)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    (11933709)
<NET-ASSETS>                                  87218399
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               504225
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             11558117
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (1417738)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       10644604
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (9640254)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (6413837)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        (5409487)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (5826234)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        2046001
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (2607245)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             286754
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      (17607873)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          15000
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (1568930)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           649418
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                5637
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                2046491
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          57402068
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.36
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   1.08
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.58)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (1.08)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.78
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.00