3 Answers for High School Parents About AVID Classes
High schools across the country are offering an elective class that advocates say gives middle-of-the-road students extra support as they prepare for college.
AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination, is a college readiness program designed to help students develop the skills they need to be successful in college. The program places special emphasis on growing writing, critical thinking, teamwork, organization and reading skills.
The class is now offered in more than 2,000 U.S. high schools. Students in the class usually take it throughout their high school career, and with the same group of students.
"I think it is an incredible opportunity for a student who is looking to grow," says Sean McComb, an English and AVID teacher at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts in Baltimore and 2014 National Teacher of The Year.
[Read about how some schools are motivating high schoolers to get to college.]
Enrollment in the high school AVID class is limited. Parents can use these questions to determine if their child would benefit from the class.
1. Is AVID a good choice for my child?
The best students for the AVID elective class are usually the B or C students who have shown potential, says Dennis Johnston, senior director and chief research officer at AVID.
"We have a wide range in our program," says McComb. "They're are all focused on this idea of fulfilling college dreams. And almost every student is first generation," meaning the students are often the first in their family to go to college.
Other students who may benefit from AVID are minority, low-income or those whose parents went through a difficult divorce, says Johnston.
Students generally begin the AVID class during ninth or 10th grade, says Johnston, because it takes a couple of years for the methods taught in the class to be effective. All go through an extensive application process.
2. What will my child learn?
The curriculum focuses on building skills and developing behaviors that lead to success.
Since the class is an elective, they may miss out on taking a band or yearbook class, but the goal is they will develop a variety of interests and learn important study and time management skills. They can then practice those skills in the challenging courses, such as honors and Advanced Placement classes, that they are typically required to take.
"AVID is going to give those kids the skills and the relationships I think to make the most of all their other classes in their high school experience," says McComb.
Each teacher decides on the assignments and activities they use to teach the skills.
Students may learn how to approach a challenging problem through tutoring, practice their research and writing skills while preparing for discussions about current events or be explicitly taught how to take notes, for example.
They also can explore different careers and learn about the college application process -- all of which helps get across the message that learning isn't limited to one subject or classroom.
3. How do students do once they leave high school?
[Learn how to use all four years of high school to prep for college.]
About 78 percent of AVID graduates were accepted to a four-year college or university during the 2013-2014 school year, according to data on the organization's website. Nearly all graduated high school.
"It's so fulfilling, I think, as a teacher to see these kids really being successful after they've left," says McComb. Some of his former students have graduated and are now working in education, nursing, hospitality and more.
AVID high school graduates from 2010 and 2011 outpaced their peers who did not participate in the program in persisting in college through freshman and sophomore years, according to a study released in December, Education Week reported.
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Alexandra Pannoni is an education staff writer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at apannoni@usnews.com.
