The AVID Program in AISD, 1999-2002.

N

21

College Preparation; Low Achievement; Low Income Groups; Minority Groups; Program Evaluation; Secondary Education; Secondary School Students; Student Participation

Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program designed to help underachieving students with academic potential prepare for entrance into colleges and universities. An evaluation of the AVID program was conducted to determine program effects. Program participants are primarily from low-income and ethnic minority backgrounds. The base for the AVID support system is the year-long AVID elective class, which meets for one academic period each day. Students receive explicit instruction in the skills needed for college, including critical thinking skills. In its third year of implementation, the AVID program had grown until it was supporting 436 students in 8 schools. Program cost per student has decreased as student numbers increased. AVID has been successful in selecting a participant group that is culturally diverse. It provides students with a place to belong. AVID students, as a group, are more likely to be in school on a daily basis than other students. The academic performance of AVID students generally exceeds that of their classmates. Although AVID students still perform less well than state and district norms on college admission tests. Both parent and student surveys indicated a positive overall response to the AVID program. By nearly any measure, responses to the program reflect that students are doing well and that students and parents increasingly see AVID participants as college bound students. (Contains 10 tables and 2 references.) (SLD)

2003

ED472171