Statistics Applications, a non-Advanced Placement (AP) alternative class for statistics, is in the final stages of development and will be available next year, according to math instructional supervisor Suzanne Antink.

"We have talked about it in the past, before an AP Statistics class started," Antink said. "But then we got an AP Statistics class which kind of put this on the back burner."

The idea was pulled off the back burner in October at a district-wide staff development day during which all the math teachers in the district came together.

"Everybody thought that that was the best idea coming out of the day," Antink said.

Paly teacher Deanna Chute, who co-wrote the curriculum for Statistics Applications with fellow teacher Scott Friedland, feels that a basic knowledge of statistics is important for understanding the world today.

"In my opinion, all people need a certain fundamental understanding of data in order to successfully function in society," Chute said. "Statistics are increasingly used to convince people of all sorts of things and the average person is easily misled. In order to vote, buy things, read the news, and make many other decisions during the course of their lives, people need to understand how to look critically at data. In addition, more and more college majors are requiring statistics."

According to Chute, she and Friedland created the curriculum for the class, which will include more application of the mathematics to prepare students for real-life situations. The course will be project-oriented and emphasize the need for all people to become smart consumers of data.

"This class will start with the application, so it is starting with the problem and bringing in mathematics to solve the problem," Antink said. "What most of the classes do is say, ‘Here is a bunch of mathematics. Now that you have these tools, solve this problem.’ This class will be the other way around."

According to Antink, the class was designed to appeal to seniors who have finished Algebra 2 as an alternative to Pre-Calculus and to students who drop down from AP Statistics but would like to continue in a similar class.

Senior Sereena Ojakian, a current AP Statistics student, agrees that Statistics Applications will provide an excellent option for students in the future.

"I think it is a good idea because some people do not want to take an AP class, but they want to take a math class," Ojakian said. "It is a good alternative to Pre-Calculus."

The semester-long class will be offered in the Paly Handbook for both semesters in the 2007-2008 school year, according to Antink.

"I’m excited to have a non-AP course that teaches students how to intelligently read, analyze, and interpret numerical information," Chute said.