AVID

Advancement Via Individualized Determination, or AVID, is a national, nonprofit college readiness system offered to students of all academic levels in grades K-12. The system is designed to equip students with the necessary intellectual skills and behaviors for academic success in rigorous coursework. AVID empowers students with critical thinking skills to navigate the educational landscape through an explicit focus on high expectations. AVID emphasizes the development and refinement of student competence in writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading, or WICOR.

AVID’s College Readiness System is comprised of three primary components: AVID Elementary, AVID Schoolwide, and the AVID Elective course.

AVID Elementary

AVID Elementary incorporates:

Student Success Skills – encompassing communication skills (e.g. listening, speaking, writing), self-advocacy skills, note-taking strategies, critical thinking, and study skills.

Organizational Skills – both mental and physical; students learn to use organizational tools, as well as learn and practice skills around time management and goal-setting.

WICOR Lessons – emphasize instruction on writing to learn, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading (WICOR) to learn in all content areas.

Partnerships – among students, classrooms, grade levels, schools, feeder patterns, families, and communities.

AVID Schoolwide

Instruction: The full instructional staff uses AVID strategies, other best instructional practices, and 21st century tools to ensure college readiness for AVID Elective students and improved academic performance for all students.

Systems: Systems are in place that support governance, curriculum and instruction, data collection and analysis, professional learning, and student and parent outreach to ensure college readiness for AVID Elective students and improved academic performance for all students.

Leadership: School leadership sets the vision and tone to promote college readiness and high expectations for all students in the school.

Culture: School’s beliefs and behaviors which reflect and demonstrate an increase in the number of students meeting college readiness requirements.

AVID Elective

The AVID Elective course is offered to students in grades 7-12. Students who are selected and recruited for participation in the AVID Elective class have aspirations to attend college and possess the individual determination to work hard to achieve their goals. The AVID Elective class provides students with academic tools, access to resources, and the structure to thrive with their rigorous coursework, leading to success in any post-secondary endeavor.