Background
The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program 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. AVID places academically average students in advanced classes and provides them with an elective class that prepares them to succeed in rigorous curricula, enter mainstream activities in school, and increase their opportunities to enroll in four-year colleges.
AVID's mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. The AVID program levels the playing field for minority, rural, low-income, and other students without a college-going tradition in their families. Developed in 1980 by Mary Catherine Swanson, AVID has seen steady growth throughout California, nationally, and internationally in the last 30 years.
- More than 4,500 schools in 48 states and 16 foreign countries offer the AVID program.
- Since 1990, more than 110,000 students have graduated from AVID programs.
- 74.4 percent of AVID students were accepted to a four year college in 2011.
- Approximately 12.7 percent of AVID students in California plan to attend a University of California (UC) campus.
- Approximately 37.5 percent of AVID students in California plan to attend a California State University (CSU) campus.
- Approximately 89.2 percent of AVID students complete the a-g requirements for UC and CSU.
Purpose
The purpose of AVID is to prepare students for college eligibility and success. As AVID expands to a school-wide and district-wide program, it impacts educators by increasing best practices for engaging all students and increasing college readiness across the school and district. The California Department of Education (CDE) works with the AVID regional offices and the AVID Center to expand and support the AVID program in local middle and high schools by:
- Supporting AVID in existing schools and districts
- Expanding AVID to more schools and students
- Providing essential support to the expansion of Advanced Placement courses
- Providing adequate statewide professional development support
- Maintaining the high quality of program and student outcomes
AVID regional offices also encourage (1) improved student access to rigorous academic curriculum, including honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate courses; (2) effective articulation and feeder patterns that enable students to be served by AVID programs in grades 6 through 12; and (3) increased adoption of AVID strategies on a school-wide and district-wide basis.
Funding
State funding for the AVID program provides a variety of services that are essential to supporting the success of AVID students and AVID school site teams. Student and school site support is delivered by AVID regional offices in the form of outreach and promotional activities; professional development and tutor training; instructional materials acquisition and distribution; site visitation, certification, and coaching; and data collection and reporting.
The CDE administers grants with the AVID regional offices and a contract with the AVID Center. Grant funds using state budget act funding can be used to support the following activities:
- Professional development support at appropriate levels
- Continuation and expansion of AVID by building upon the existing infrastructure
- Regional coordination and technical assistance, professional development, and site resources at both middle and high schools, especially schools in the same feeder pattern
Applicants must show that they have the capacity to serve all current and emerging AVID sites located within the region for which they are applying.
For information regarding the grants awarded to county offices of education to serve the eleven regions of California, please visit the AVID Funding Results Web page.
For information regarding the AVID Funding Profile, including application, background, and funding results, please visit the AVID Past Funding Profile Web page.
Resources
For information regarding the AVID program and the California AVID Center, please visit the AVID Center Web site [http://www.avid.org/index.html] (Outside Source).
For information and links to the 11 California AVID regions, please visit the AVID California Regional Websites page [http://www.avid.org/con_caregionalwebsites.html] (Outside Source).
