AVID Program

Ms. Natalie Stephenson, Coordinator 

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) was developed by Mary Catherine Swanson at Clairemont High School in 1980 in response to San Diego Unified School District's court-ordered integration of the city’s schools. The program began as an elective class taken during the regular school day. Mary Catherine held her students accountable to the highest standards and provided them with academic and social support. She believed they would rise to the challenge. And have they ever!

In 1992 AVID Center was established as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization and the program has evolved into a fourth through twelfth-grade system that successfully prepares students in the academic middle for four-year college eligibility. Beginning with one high school and 32 students the AVID system is now on the march toward in 2013.

AVID General Fact Sheet
THE CHALLENGE:Closing the achievement gap and increasing the college-going rate for students from low-income and minority families is a significant policy dilemma.

THE SOLUTION:AVID is designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. Although AVID serves all students, it focuses on the least served students in the academic middle. The formula is simple — raise expectations of students and, with the AVID support system in place, they will rise to the challenge.

HOW IT WORKS:AVID students enroll in high-rigor courses and receive support in an academic elective class—called AVID—taught within the school day by a trained AVID teacher.

RESULTS:AVID is currently adopted by over 3,500 schools in 45 States, 15 Countries. Of the 10,900 students participating in the senior 2007 data collection, 98% plan to attend the post-secondary institution to which they were accepted.