AP Statistics
Course Description & Grading Policies for 2023-2024

Instructor:  Mrs. Jennifer P. Contreras                                                   Classroom: RR 239, periods: 1,2,3 & 5
E-mail:  jcontr1@neisd.net                                                                      Website:  www.neisd.net/jcontr1

Overview:  AP Statistics is a college-level statistics course that introduces students to the major concepts and tools for collecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students cultivate their understanding of statistics using technology, investigations, problem solving, collaboration, and writing as they explore concepts like variation and distribution; patterns and uncertainty, and data-based predictions, decisions, and conclusions.  A goal of this class is to prepare students for success on the College Board’s AP Exam for Statistics on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, and for success in future college-level courses. 

School Supplies:  Students are expected to come to class each day with a pencil, an eraser, loose-leaf notebook paper (or a spiral), and a Statistics binder (or folder) for handouts.  Any other supplies that are needed will be available in class. 

Calculators:  During class, students will use a TI-84 graphing calculator from our class set.  Students are encouraged to check out another TI-84 calculator to use at home but will need to provide the 4 AAA batteries to keep it running throughout the school year.  “I don’t have a calculator” is not a valid excuse for incomplete or missing assignments. 

Textbooks:  We will use “The Practice of Statistics, 5^th edition” textbook as a resource. An online version of the textbook is available in the Bedford App located in your NEISD launchpad.  If you prefer to have a physical copy of the textbook to take home, you can check one out through the Roosevelt AP Office.

Google Classroom:  Announcements and links to assignments/handouts and other reference materials will be posted in our Google Classroom, join using the code nzqgexy.  

AP Classroom:  The AP Classroom join code for AP Statistics  _____________  period is _____________________________.  The College Board’s AP Classroom website is https://myap.collegeboard.org.  We will use AP Classroom regularly throughout the school year for graded multiple-choice assignments, AP daily video lessons, and AP Exam practice and review. 

Grading Policy: 
         40%     Tests; you may use a graphing calculator and the AP Formulas & Charts on all tests; half MC and half FRQ                   
         30%     Quizzes; you may use a graphing calculator and the AP Formulas & Charts on all quizzes                                         
         15%     Assignments (as assigned, graded on accuracy)     
         15%     Classwork/Homework (almost daily, graded on completion)            
         
Most units/chapters will have a quiz at the middle and a test at the end.  Grades will be posted in Skyward within one week of the due date (or the date the quiz/test was taken), if not sooner.  However, some assignments may take longer to grade and I appreciate your patience and understanding.  In fairness to the students who turn assignments in on-time, their work will be graded and posted first.  Late work, makeup work, retakes, corrections and extra credit will be graded within 3 weeks, before the next progress report or report card deadline.  Teachers make mistakes; students should keep their work until they have verified that grades are correct in Skyward.  Please bring any mistakes to my attention so I can fix them ASAP. 

A note on handwriting:  You will probably be surprised by the amount of reading and writing required in AP Statistics.  To be successfully, you will definitely do more writing than you have in previous math classes.  You will not lose points for spelling/grammar/punctuation errors, but if I can’t read what you have written, I will not be able to grade your work.

Assignments and Classwork/Homework:  Statistics practice will be given almost every class period and will be due at the beginning of the next class period (unless specifically stated otherwise); assignments submitted after the beginning of class will be “late.”  Work in the “assignments” category in Skyward will be assessed on accuracy (amount correct) and work in the “classwork/homework” category will be assessed on completion (amount finished); in either case, students are expected to show work and provide explanations/justifications to earn full credit.   This is a college level class; in addition to class time, students will usually need another 15-45 minutes, outside of class, to complete their work and review key concepts.

Make-up & Late Work:  If you are absent, it is your responsibility to ask for the work you missed.  You can look in our Google Classroom, but you will probably also need to get a copy of the notes, do the assignments, and take any quiz or test you missed.  Work that you received before you were absent and was due while you were gone, needs to be turned in on the day you return to school to receive full, on-time credit.  Any new work that was assigned while you were absent (including tests, quizzes, and assignments), needs to be completed and turned in within one week of your return to school for full, on-time credit (unless you were absent for more than a week).  After a week, you will receive late credit for assignments and retake credit for quizzes & tests.  If your absence is unexcused, all of your work, including quizzes and tests, may be immediately assessed as late/retake work.  Late assignments will receive 80% credit (20% penalty) until the unit test.  Per district policy, no credit will be given for late work after the unit test.  Notes/comments in Skyward will indicate if assignments were late. 

Test Corrections:  After each test, students are expected to complete test corrections so they can learn from their mistakes, in preparation for the AP Exam in May.  After students have submitted their corrections, the original test grade will be improved in Skyward, using an AP-scaled score.  If students do not submit corrections, they will keep their original, raw score. 

Retakes of Quizzes & Tests:  You may retake any quiz/test grade lower than 70.  Retakes must be completed in one sitting (you can’t start and come back later to finish).  Retakes should be taken before/after school unless class time allows.  If you pass the retake, you will bring the quiz or test grade up to 70; otherwise you will receive the higher of the original and retake grades.  Notes/comments in Skyward will indicate both the original & retake grades.  Retakes are similar, but not identical to the original quizzes/tests – do not memorize answers; learn from your mistakes and work to understand the math.  Retakes must occur in the same grading period and should be done before the next unit test.  You may only retake each quiz/test once.

Time Limits & Deadlines:  In this class, students are preparing for success on the AP Statistics Exam which has strict time limits.  Unless a student has an “extended time” accommodation through an IEP or 504 plan, extra time will not be given.

Extra Credit:  Optional extra credit assignments will be offered during each unit. Extra credit assignments will earn “coupons” which can be applied to quiz and test grades.  Coupons cannot be used to replace missing assignments or to remove late penalties.  Students should only do extra credit work after they have completed their regular course work.       

Tutoring & Study Groups:  Math help is available!  Tutoring will be available several mornings (starting at 8:00 a.m.) and/or afternoons (until 5:00 p.m.) each week; students should check the whiteboard calendar in class each week for upcoming tutoring opportunities.  In addition to getting math help from me, students can use tutoring times to work independently on assignments or extra credit, meet with study groups, do retakes/corrections, prepare for upcoming assessments, and use classroom supplies (including chromebooks and calculators). 

Integrity Policy:  Students are encouraged to work together, both during and outside of class, on assignments.  You should be talking about the math.  EACH student should be actively working on EACH of the problems;  “divide & conquer,” having an APP/website/AI do the work, or copying answers are NOT acceptable strategies.  Additionally, all quizzes and tests are to be completed individually.  Students who complete assignments or assessments without integrity will receive a zero for the work. 

Electronic Devices & Work for Other Classes:  Your cell phone (and other personal electronic devices) should be silenced and put away.  When technology is allowed/needed, we will use school chromebooks.  You should not use electronic devices for personal activities (social media, games, etc.) during class.  Phone calls and texts should not be read or sent during class, even if they are to/from your family; please speak to your teacher privately if you have a special situation.  If your phone (or other devices/items) are a distraction, they may be collected by the teacher.  You should not work on assignments for other classes UNTIL you have finished ALL of your math work. 

Class Rules: 
          1.  Be ready to learn (arrive on time, have supplies & assignments out, and put away cell phones and distractions).
          2.  Have respect for other people, for their ideas, opinions and beliefs, and for personal/school property.
          3.  Take responsibility for your schoolwork, your words, your choices/decisions/attitude, and your education.
          4.  Help create and maintain a positive classroom environment (wear school-appropriate attire, use school-appropriate
               language, be tolerant, encouraging, helpful, and supportive of classmates, teachers, and guests). 

Communication:  The best way to contact me is through my school district email,  jcontr1@neisd.net.  Outside of class, I will communicate with students collectively through our Google Classroom and individually through their NEISD student email address.  I will communicate with parents through the emails or phone numbers that are listed in Skyward (unless you provide me with different ones).  I try to respond by the end of the next school day.  If parents would prefer a phone conversation (or would like to schedule a conference), please email me or call the DATA office at 210-356-2237.