The American Statistical Association (ASA) has proposed a number of guidelines for assessments and instruction in teaching introductory statistics the college level (GAISE). These guidelines emphasize statistical literacy, developing statistical thinking, using real data, stressing conceptual understanding, fostering active learning, and using assessments to improve student learning. (ASA 2005) Moreover, the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) endorsed the GAISE standards in 2005. The objectives of this exploratory study were to: 1) conduct an analysis of statistics instruction at the community colleges in the Los Angeles area, which included surveying students, interviewing instructors and reviewing teacher-made course materials, and 2) recommend possible steps that could be taken to enhance the alignment of statistics education at the community colleges with the GAISE standards. Our results of the diagnostic evaluation indicated that much work is needed to align the instruction of statistics at the community colleges with GAISE standards. In order to help minimize this gap, the following steps were taken: 1) creating a general model and strategies for teaching statistics 2) finding real datasets that are interesting to the community college students, and 3) creating sample course materials that instructors could use such as lesson plans, exercises, exam questions and project ideas. The manuscript that follows includes an analysis of the existing practices in statistics education at the community colleges in the Los Angeles area, proposed teaching model, and sample data sets, exercises, exam questions, and project ideas.