The Palo Alto Unified School District Board of Education voted Tuesday, Dec. 16, to approve multivariable calculus and linear algebra honors courses for the 2026-2027 school year.

The course will provide high school students who complete AP Calculus BC with the opportunity to continue their math education on campus, rather than relying on off-site community college classes. Advocates argue that these courses prepare students for STEM programs in college and careers in data science, economics, physics and computer science.

During the public forum, several students emphasized the need for accessible math courses during the school day. Junior Anika Deshpande, who is currently enrolled in AP Calculus BC, said that after-school classes conflict with athletics and extracurriculars.

“The only option would be to take the class online and asynchronously,” Deshpande said. “For a course like multivariable calculus, that’s not a good substitute. Having a teacher to talk to in person makes a huge difference.”

Jennifer Gloss, parent of a Palo Alto High School student-athlete, stressed the importance of scheduling the class during school hours and also offering weighted dual enrollment.

“A new class created by PAUSD would be an unknown entity to colleges with uncertain value,” Gloss said. “If it isn’t weighted, students would be doing college-level work, but it wouldn’t be reflected in their GPA.”

Several students noted that Sequoia Unified School District already offers multivariable calculus, and delaying access in PAUSD could leave students behind. Sophomore Oscar Varodayan said that roughly 100 students at Palo Alto High School and Gunn High School are projected to be ready for multivariable calculus by their senior year.

“You can either make students give up sports and other activities or adopt the simple solution ahead of us,” he said.

Mathematics experts also expressed support for the course. Brian Conrad, a Stanford University professor, emphasized the relevance of multivariable calculus for fields like data science and artificial intelligence.

“Vectors and matrices are the building blocks of neural networks,” Conrad said. “Learning both during high school with transfer credit creates opportunities and does not hold anyone back.”

Not all community members supported this addition. A former PAUSD parent argued that advanced mathematics is better pursued later.

“Some of these students should relax, do their sports, and take art and music,” she said. “There is always time to pursue advanced mathematics in college and graduate school.”

She added that high school math courses often emphasize rote learning and algorithms over creativity and said the district should focus on improving math literacy for students who are struggling.

The Board of Education approved the courses for the 2026-2027 school year. Each school will handle final scheduling and implementation, and the Board will review enrollment and performance data to determine future decisions.