AP Statistics – David Ferris

This session AP Statistics –  with David Ferris is offered IN PERSON during Week 2: June 22-25, 2026 at Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia.

Meet your APSI Consultant for AP Statistics

Dave Ferris has taught mathematics at Noblesville High School (Indiana) for 43 years, AP Statistics for 25 years, and scored the AP Statistics exam for ten years. He currently teaches AP Statistics, Honors Algebra 2, and assists with AP Research. In 2017, he was Noblesville High School’s Teacher of the Year as well as a National Winner of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. He has led his district’s AP Math Vertical Team and served as math department chair. He has worked as an AP Statistics consultant for NMSI, and has led College Board AP Statistics workshops for 16 years. Dave thoroughly enjoys exploiting the unique dynamics of AP summer institutes and will ensure participants are thoroughly engaged and inspired.

Dave earned his BS in mathematics from Taylor University in 1983 and his MA in mathematics from Ball State University in 1989. After school hours, he enjoys camping, hiking, hunting, cooking, and playing keyboard and bass guitar at his church.

APSI Session Description

This participant-driven AP Summer Institute workshop will focus on the unique issues facing AP Statistics teachers. Especially next year! The AP Statistics course for 2026-2027 has been fundamentally reordered and compressed into five units, and many topics have been deleted from the curriculum. The AP Exam has also fundamentally changed. We will dive headlong into all the upcoming changes this week so you are prepared for the “new” AP Statistics course.

We will overview all major topics of the course but will spend focused time on the most difficult statistical concepts. Time will also be spent on engaging activities, invigorating discussions, training in good communication, and dissection of key AP Statistics Exam problems and rubrics.

We will investigate important aspects of NEW Course and Exam Description (CED) and AP Classroom, including demonstrations of Personal Progress Checks, teacher-created quizzes, and Daily Videos.

Participants will experience effective uses of statistical technology such as Desmos (embedded into the AP Exam), CODAP, web-based applets, graphing calculators, and computer-based randomization tests. Best teaching practices will be demonstrated and discussed using a variety of presentation tools and methods. This week will be a unique blend of fun, challenge, discovery, growth, and camaraderie!

Homework:  Participants should bring technology such as a graphing calculator, laptop, tablet, iPad, etc. Teachers with no AP Statistics experience will find it valuable to read through their textbook before the institute and note areas of trepidation. Veteran teachers are encouraged to share how you will revamp your lesson plans. All are encouraged to bring and contribute your unique perspectives, personality, and professional experience to the institute.

Tentative Institute Syllabus and Outline: AP Statistics

[**Agenda and pace will adjust to participants’ daily needs, as well as the updated CED and AP Statistics Framework.]

Day 1—One Variable Data and Collecting Data (Unit 1)

The NEW Course and Exam Description (CED): What’s deleted and what’s added?  •New exam overview; First day of school ideas: Hook ‘em!  •Relevant technology/online tools (Desmos, graphing calculators, CODAP, Stapplet, etc.)  •Activities, concepts, skills: One-variable data  •Sampling and Experiments activities for conceptual understanding  •Unique vocabulary: role of randomization, bias, confounding, blocking  •Communication nuances that nudge exam scores  •AP Exam problems and rubrics; Reflection time

Day 2—Probability, Random Variables, and Probability Distributions (Unit 2)

CED: AP Classroom resources, AP Daily Videos; Tables for two categorical variables; Perils of probability: activities and simulations (dice, cards, and computers); Random variables; Binomial and normal distributions; Sampling distributions and the CLT;  AP Exam problems and rubrics; Reflection time

Day 3—Inference for Proportions and Means (Units 3 & 4)

CED: CB Toolkit overview; Skew the Script resources; Proportions: Sampling distributions, confidence intervals, and tests; Chi-Square tests; Means: Sampling distributions, confidence intervals, and tests;  AP Exam problems and rubrics; Reflection time

Day 4—Regression Analysis (Unit 5) and exam changes

CED: final questions; feedback from CRR and IPR; AP Classroom integration; (Likely: Finish Day 3 material); Linear Regression: scatterplots, correlation, least-squares model, residuals;  AP Exam problems and rubrics; Reflection time.