Decades of College Dreams AVID in North Thurston Decades of College Dreams

What is AVID? AVID is a college readiness system designed to increase schoolwide learning and performance in order to prepare students for college, careers, and the work force. AVID accelerates student learning, using research-based methods of effective instruction.

What Does AVID Stand For? Advancement Via Individual Determination AVID is completely voluntary for students, parents and staff.

AVID Mission AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

Who is the AVID Student? AVID targets students in the academic middle - B, C, and even D students - who have the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard. These are students who are capable of completing rigorous curriculum but are falling short of their potential. Some will be the first in their families to attend college, and many are from low-income or minority families. AVID pulls these students out of their unchallenging courses and puts them on the college track: acceleration instead of remediation.

How Does AVID Work? Students learn about AVID, apply, and are selected. Students take the AVID elective class as one of their high school electives AVID students must enroll in one or more advanced, honors or AP class.

Challenging Courses All AVID students must enroll in their school’s toughest classes, such as honors classes and Advanced Placement classes. These courses are “gateways” to college. These courses prepare students to do rigorous school work and become independent learners. Some courses qualify for college credit.

AVID Elective Students learn: Organizational skills Study skills Critical thinking and questioning Critical reading Writing Inquiry Collaboration Academic help to support their learning

Tutoring Twice a week the AVID elective engages students in tutorials. Students facilitate solutions to their “points of confusion” from other classes under the guidance of a trained peer or adult tutor. AVID tutorials focus as much on teaching students how to learn and problem solve for themselves as on simply figuring out what they don’t understand in another class.

The AVID Parent AVID parents encourage their children to achieve academically, participate in AVID parent activities and maintain regular contact with the AVID teacher.

Results State-funded, independent research, together with AVID's own data, validate that the AVID college-readiness system works. AVID students are more likely to: take AP classes complete their college eligibility requirements get into four-year colleges Almost all AVID students who participate for at least three years are accepted to college, with roughly three quarters getting into four-year universities. AVID also helps ensure students, once accepted to college, possess the higher-level skills they need for college success and for rigorous technical fields.

Research AVID sends one third more students to 4-year colleges than the national average African American AVID students enroll in college at rates considerably higher than the national average. AVID students stay in college once they enroll; 89% of those who started remain in college two years later

More Information AVID Overview AVID Results AVID Research www.avid.org