Advancement Via Individual Determination

Dr. Sandy Husk, President and CEO of AVID, San Diego, CA

Our Mission

AVID’s mission is to close the

achievement gap by preparing all

students for college readiness and

success in a global society

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AVID

AVID is a nonprofit organization that provides educators

with proven, real-world strategies to accelerate the

performance of underrepresented students so that

these students and all students across the entire

campus succeed in college, career, and life.

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Key Components of AVID

• Professional staff development and

leadership training

• Proven educational strategies provided for

in-classroom use with traditionally

underrepresented students in four-year

colleges

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What is AVID?

• A schoolwide college readiness

system

• A structured approach to rigorous

curriculum

• Direct support structure for

first-generation college students

• Professional learning for educators

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Reaching 2 million in next five years!

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What worries us?

• Of 100 US students born into poverty, only 8

will attain a college degree (NCES)

• US degree attainment lags behind other

developed countries

– Now 12th in developed nations

• We face a shortfall of 11 million skilled workers

in the next 10 years (Bill Gates, recent blog)

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The AVID College Readiness System

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AVID students adopt a scholar identity and

Develop as readers and writers

Develop deep content knowledge

Know content specific strategies

for reading, writing, thinking,

and speaking

Develop habits, skills, and

behaviors to use knowledge

and skills

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What results does AVID

deliver?

2014 AVID Elective Seniors

91% plan to enroll in a college or university

• 61% plan to enroll in a four-year university

• 30% plan to enroll in a two-year college

11 AVID. (2014). AVID senior data collection: Study of 36,448 AVID seniors [Electronic Database].

95% 94% 92% 93% 93%

49%

25% 22%

39% 36%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Asian Black or African

American

Hispanic or Latino White (not Hispanic) Overall

AVID U.S. Overall U.S.

2014 AVID Seniors Completing Four-Year College

Entrance Requirements

There is no GAP with AVID

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87%

77%

83%

87% 86% 86%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

AVID U.S. Black Hispanic White Low

Overall Ethnicity Socioeconomic

Status

Class of 2010 College Persistence into Year 2

by Student Group (Fall-to-Fall)

AVID Secondary

• AVID Elective: initial implementation

– Focused attention is given to targeted students

through an AVID Elective class.

• AVID Schoolwide

– AVID strategies are implemented in all

classrooms across the campus.

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AVID Elective: Student Profile

• First in family to attend college

• Average-to-high test scores

• Academic middle, with GPA of 2.0–3.0

• College potential, with support from AVID

strategies

• Individual desire and determination

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Key Components in the AVID Elective

• Tutorials

– Collaborative Study Groups

– Writing Groups

– Socratic Seminars

• Curriculum

– Middle Level Writing or High School Writing

– AVID College and Careers

– AVID Critical Thinking and Engagement

– Critical Reading

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AVID Is Schoolwide When…

…A strong AVID system transforms the

Instruction, Systems, Leadership, and

Culture of a school, ensuring college

readiness for all AVID Elective students and

improved academic performance for all

students based on increased opportunities.

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Transformational Change: AE Essentials in Action

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Instruction Essential 1

Leadership Essential 3

Systems Essential 4

Culture Essential 2

AVID Schoolwide Means College-Ready

• A college-ready student possesses:

– Academic skills

– Individual determination

– Social adaptability

– Empowerment to complete college-level work

prior to high school graduation

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Why AVID Elementary?

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What Is AVID Elementary?

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Foundational component of the AVID College

Readiness System (ACRS)

Sequential, foundational, organizational resources

intended for the elementary teacher that teaches

all ability levels in grades K–8

AVID strategies and philosophy of educational

opportunities for all is threaded throughout the

entire school day and across entire grade levels.

Implementation is a two-year process that begins

with Summer Institute.

Who Does AVID Elementary Impact?

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Societal Systems Educational Systems

Students

Families

Communities

Educators

Schools

Feeder Patterns

The Targeted Focus Areas…

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Provide equal access to all students

Develop organizational skills

Instill student success skills

Inspire belief in academic rigor

and success

Afford a smoother transition and increased

articulation across the feeder pattern

Components of AVID Elementary

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Student Success Skills How “to do” school or the hidden curriculum

Organization Agenda/planner, organizational tool,

note-taking strategies, time management,

goal setting

WICOR Lessons Sequential, progressive lessons that incorporate

Writing to Learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading to Learn

Partnerships Classroom, grade level, site, district, families, community

Stages of AVID Elementary

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•Emergent Learners

Foundations 3-6

Core of AE

•Independent Learners

Bridges 6–8

•Independent Thinkers

The Foundations strand is a pre-requisite for the Bridges strand.

Foundations K-2

(formerly Beginnings)

What to Look for in an AVID Elementary Classroom

• Student EMPOWERMENT

• Organizational Tools utilized FREQUENTLY,

CONSISTENTLY, PRODUCTIVELY

• All students using NOTE-TAKING STRATEGIES

• Teachers and students engaged in ALL

LEVELS OF THINKING and QUESTIONING

• RIGOR appropriate for each student

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Carol Dweck’s Influence on AVID

• Noted Stanford researcher with clinical evidence on how we view destiny

• Fixed Mindset: Belief in natural or innate ability

• Growth Mindset: Belief in effort, hard work, persistence, joy of “the challenge”

• Important for parents, teachers, students, leaders

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Implications of Mindsets for AVID

• Teaching a growth mindset creates motivation and productivity

• Teachers set high expectations and tell all students they have the ability to succeed

• Students focus on improving and are persistent learners - they take charge of their success which creates a passion for learning

• Inquiry-based approach to learning facilitates the growth mindset by embracing challenges, obstacles, and criticisms as an opportunity to grow/learn

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Implications of Mindsets for AVID

• Growth mindset: Students don’t feel trapped by their circumstances

• Failure can be a great teacher - if approached as an opportunity and not as judgment

• Parents – teach children to appreciate challenges, embrace mistakes, and value effort

• Principals/leaders – model, support, and sustain a growth mindset culture

• Achievement Gap=Expectations Gap and Opportunity Gap

• Parents and teachers should praise effort, not intelligence

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Feeder Pattern Benefits

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Accountability to quality implementation

Articulation between grade levels and sites

Assessment to inform instruction

Calibration within subject/content areas

Consistent expectations for all students across

the entire feeder pattern

Foundations K–2

Organizational Tools

Raises student achievement

Ensures college access

and success

Closes opportunity and

expectation gaps

Improves instruction by offering

meaningful and lasting professional

learning

AVID delivers results

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People Like Me

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Questions, Discussion

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Contact information: Shusk@avid.org www.avid.org