Advancement Via Individual Determination
| Nonprofit organization | |
| Website | Official website |
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a non-profit organization that provides professional learning for educators to improve college readiness for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID's College Readiness System had its start at the secondary level, with the AVID Elective class and AVID Schoolwide, and now also includes work in elementary schools and college campuses. These efforts are known as AVID Elementary and AVID for Higher Education.
AVID's mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. AVID also is there to help students reach new higher standards.
AVID Center is the non-profit that school districts and college campuses contract with to provide AVID's professional learning, curriculum, and support services. Districts and campuses decide which parts of the AVID College Readiness System will best serve their needs: AVID Elementary, AVID Secondary, and/or AVID for Higher Education. AVID Center has offices in San Diego, Denver, Orlando, and Dallas.
AVID was founded by Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980, at Clairemont High School, in San Diego, CA. Low-income students were to be bussed to Clairemont High from other parts of San Diego, and this caused a stir at the suburban, middle-class school. Many teachers had low expectations of these students, but Swanson believed that with the right support, these students could be just as successful as Clairemont's other students and go on to college. She put these students in the school's toughest classes, along with the AVID Elective class, where she and college tutors provided academic support, study skills, and a family-like culture, that allowed them to thrive in the rigorous courses that prepared them for college. The first AVID Elective class had 32 students, and now AVID serves nearly one million students in more than 5,000 schools in 44 states and 16 countries/territories.
Each part of the AVID College Readiness System can be implemented independently or together depending on a district’s needs.
AVID Elementary (K-6, K-8) teaches students academic skills at an age-appropriate level that will help them succeed at each level of their education. AVID Elementary professional learning provides teaching strategies and best practices that are utilized in each class across the grade level. Students learn note-taking, organization, and collaboration skills - and are able to start thinking about their educational path to college.
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