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

   <NUMBER> 111
   <NAME> EMERGING MARKET DEBT - CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         28155735
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        29982013
<RECEIVABLES>                                  3297294
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  176187
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                33455494
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                         89375
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       290662
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             380037
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      35142462
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          2694542
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          3186243
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        12870
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (3909712)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       1829837
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              3592372
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (640106)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        2652266
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        207619
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      4415644
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          7575529
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (2695204)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         622886
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (1289673)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             175086
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         (74868)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          78308
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (4109691)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
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<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           392171
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<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                1020836
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<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .83
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           1.31
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.83)
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              10.58
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.75