Expanding AP ® to Reach Diverse Populations: A Research-Based Approach Granger B. Ward, AVID Center Joyce Suber, SDCOE AVID College Board Forum October 26, 2007

What is AVID?  A districtwide approach to college preparation  A direct support structure for first-generation college goers  A schoolwide approach to curriculum and rigor working in over 2,700 middle schools and high schools in 45 states and 15 countries (over 250,000 students)  A professional development program providing training throughout the U.S.

The Mission of AVID To ensure that ALL students, and especially the least served students in the middle:  will succeed in rigorous curriculum,  will complete a rigorous college preparatory path,  will enter mainstream activities of the school,  will increase their enrollment in four-year colleges, and  will become educated, responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society.

To help all students do rigorous work and meet or exceed high standards in each content area we must help them:  Develop as readers and writers;  Develop deep content knowledge;  Know content specific strategies for reading, writing, thinking and talking;  Develop habits, skills, and behaviors to use knowledge and skills. Meeting the Challenge

Why AVID Works AVID:  Places AVID students in rigorous curriculum and gives them the support to achieve;  Provides the explicit “hidden curriculum” of schools;  Provides a team of students for positive peer identification; and  Redefines the teacher’s role as that of student advocate.

What is Academic Rigor? Rigor is helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is: complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging. Taking rigorous courses opens doors -and minds! Source: Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini, ASCD, 2001.

AVID: Collaborative Support for the Success of Underserved Students Colleges and Universities Community Parents Administration Counselors Subject Area Teachers Tutors AVID Coordinator (AVID Elective Teacher) AVID Support Staff Student

A Sample Week in AVID Elective Daily or Block* Schedule AVID Curriculum includes: Writing Curriculum College and Careers Strategies for Success AVID Tutorials include: Collaborative Study Groups Writing Groups Socratic Seminars

The Data 73.5% were represented by Hispanic, African American, Native American and Multi-racial students  76.4% were accepted to a four-year college  88.6% planned to attend the four-year institution to which they were accepted  Overall, 98.0% of this cohort planed to attend either a two or four-year college or university

AVID National

AVID’S Low Income/Diverse Students Meet the UC/CSU ‘a-g’ Course Requirements

 98% plan to enroll in a college or university  67% plan to enroll in a four-year university  31% plan to enroll in a two-year college  84% of parents have less than a four-year college degree Source: AVID Center Data Collection System, Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent AVID Graduates

SUHSD 8th Grade Algebra Enrollment SUHSD AVID SUHSD (Includes AVID) SUHSD AVID SUHSD (Includes AVID) % 263/458 40% 2336/ % 263/418 35% 2137/6132 Sources: Data Collection & SUHSD Fall 05 & Fall 06 EOC Exam Totals

SUHSD 8th Grade Algebra Enrollment Sources: Data Collection & SUHSD Fall 05 & Fall 06 EOC Exam Totals

How Do Schools Influence College Preparation & Choice? Expectations and assumptions Classes placed (or tracked) into Flow and content of information Specific options highlighted or downplayed Other ways:

Mar Vista High School Ideal AVID Schedules Freshman English 9 World Geo Geometry PE or NJROTC Foreign Language (AP if Native Speaker) AVID Sophomore English 10 HN AP World History Intermediate Algebra Foreign Language (AP Lang. or Lit) Biology AVID PE or NJROTC If student enters at Algebra 1 level, he/she must complete Geometry during the summer before sophomore year Student will take Health during the summer before junior year.

Mar Vista High School Ideal AVID Schedules JuniorSenior AP Literature or English 12 HN AP or HN Government & Economics AP Calculus Physics/ Biochemistry / AP Chemistry / AP Biology Computer Class AVID Senior Seminar AP English AP U.S. History Math Analysis AP or HN Chemistry Art AVID Junior Seminar

Mar Vista High School AVID students in AP Courses AP CourseMVHS AVID MVHS AVID Art--2 Science24 Math1135 English3344 Soc. Sci.2239 For. Lang.5954

Mar Vista High School AVID students in AP Calculus Calculus AB # of AVID Students3 of 3311 of 3921 of 63 Total # students w/ passing AP score Note:Pass Rate for AVID students was comparable to entire calculus class Calculus BC # AVID Students0 out of 71 out of 144 out of 15

What would happen if we shifted our school culture from graduation to preparation for college? These critical questions can impact our school culture and the students we serve…

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