Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)

By teaching and reinforcing academic behaviors and higher-level thinking at a young age, AVID Elementary teachers create a ripple effect in later grades. Elementary students develop the academic habits they will need to be successful in middle school, high school, and college in an age-appropriate and challenging way. Children learn about organization, study skills, communication, and self-advocacy. AVID Elementary students take structured notes and answer and ask high-level questions that go beyond routine answers. 

The strong college-going culture on an AVID Elementary campus encourages students to think about their college and career plans. Schools cover their walls with college pennants and banners, and educators speak about their college experiences. College and careers are no longer foreign concepts, and teachers provide the academic foundation students need to be on a path for college and career success. AVID Elementary closes the opportunity gap before it begins. 

AVID Elementary Schools in District 11 train all staff and teachers across all grade levels and content areas in order for common language across the campus. WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) strategies are used throughout the day is all classrooms. Students celebrate each other’s success and encourage one another to do their best! Students in AVID Elementary Schools are organized in both their thoughts, writing, and with their school supplies.  

District 11 schools are full of students who possess a desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard, but many of them do not truly have the opportunity to be college-ready. These are often the students who will be the first in their families to attend college and are from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID Secondary equips teachers and schools with what they need to help these students succeed on a path to college and career success. 

To address this need, AVID Middle and High School schedule an AVID Elective course for specific students. For one period a day, students receive the additional academic, social, and emotional support that will help them succeed in their school’s most rigorous courses. Schools have the flexibility to decide how many AVID Elective classes they will have and which grade levels will implement AVID. Additionally, in middle school, the language and literacy needs of long-term English language learners can be addressed through the AVID Excel elective class. 

The power of AVID Secondary is the ability to impact students in the AVID Elective class and all students throughout the campus. AVID Secondary can have an effect on the entire school by providing classroom activities, teaching practices, and academic behaviors that can be incorporated into any classroom to improve engagement and success for all students. Teachers can take what they've learned at AVID training back to any classroom to help all students, not just those in AVID, to become more college- and career-ready.