AVID: Opening Doors to College for All Students

College education is a valuable path for high school graduates, and it’s important that we support all career options when we talk to teens about their future. A college education should be an option for any student who wants to pursue it. The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program helps more students see college as a realistic goal. This nonprofit organization helps schools build a culture where college is possible for anyone willing to put in the work.

What is AVID?

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a non-profit organization that provides professional learning for educators to close opportunity gaps and improve college and career readiness for elementary, middle and high school students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in higher education. AVID Center is a course that school districts and college campuses can contract with to provide learning, curriculum, and support services.

Founded by Mary Catherine Swanson in 1980 at Clairemont High School in San Diego, US, AVID began with a single elective class of 32 students. Today, the AVID College and Career Readiness System impacts more than 2 million students annually and is implemented in 7,500+ K-12 schools in 47 states across the United States plus schools in Canada, Virgin Islands, and Australia. AVID is implemented in all DoDEA 6-12 schools.

The Core Principles of AVID

AVID is about equity. The program seeks to identify students with college potential who need extra support along their journey. These are often students from underrepresented groups who are the first in their family to attend college, long-term English-language learners, or those facing societal and socioeconomic challenges. The AVID program especially benefits kids with more-or-less average grades who might not be working up to their potential because they lack the support system they need. But kids have to be willing to commit and put in the work. This isn’t a handout or a remedial class.

Using research-based instructional best practices that benefit all students, the AVID College and Career Readiness System equips teachers with effective strategies to engage learners, build strong academic habits, and create a classroom environment where every student feels supported and capable of reaching their college and career goals.

Read also: Setting GPA goals: An AVID guide

How AVID Works

When a school or district decides to participate in AVID, it becomes a broad endeavor across many grade levels. While the program targets specific students for extra attention, AVID’s effects are felt across the entire student population. All students participate in college- and career-readiness activities, with an emphasis on the executive functioning and life skills students need as adults.

Elementary School

In the elementary school years, teachers create an environment that supports the idea that anyone can be college-bound. They encourage students to dream big and help them start developing important study and organizational skills. Schools invite students to begin thinking about their future college and career path in an age-appropriate way.

Secondary School

The program kicks into high gear in the secondary school years. Starting in sixth grade, schools actively identify students with the potential to benefit from the program and enroll them in the once-a-day AVID elective class. Whether they’re enrolled in AVID class or not, all students in these schools get a higher level of college- and career-readiness preparation. Teachers emphasize higher-order thinking, challenging all of their students to expand their expectations.

For one class period each day, students who take this elective spend time focused on the specific skills they need to become college-ready. They learn study skills, note-taking strategies, critical thinking, and organizational skills. Students also receive academic support in subjects they find especially challenging. This could be teacher or peer tutoring, enrichment materials, or just more time to get schoolwork done in an environment that encourages quiet and learning. This is also a time for teachers to provide emotional and personal support. Students in this program work extremely hard and need extra encouragement. They also need to be held accountable and know where to find help when they need it.

In AVID classes, students participate in a variety of lessons and learning activities that teach and reinforce these valuable skills. They may also receive training in areas like computer science, digital citizenship, SEL, STEM, and more.

The AVID Elective

The AVID Elective, a component of the AVID College and Career Readiness System, is specifically designed and tailored to support students in the ‘academic middle’ - those who have the potential to succeed at increasingly higher levels but may need additional support to fully realize their individual potential. The elective provides students with a toolkit of transferable future-ready skills and strategies like leadership, critical thinking, inquiry, organization, time management, and effective communication. AVID Elective students are expected to enroll in at least one course of rigor (AP).

The Role of Teachers and Administrators

AVID is free for students who participate. However, schools must pay for teacher training and other program resources. There are many funding options available, including grants, federal or state funds, Title funds, and more. Teachers interested in becoming AVID instructors attend a three-day professional development session (virtual) to get started. Those teachers become the backbone of the program, teaching AVID elective classes and supporting the overall program throughout the school or district. Schools assemble a Site Team, composed of teachers, administrators, counselors, and others. As a part of this team, teachers may help to create goals, collect data, obtain funding, and build an AVID Site Plan. Teachers can be indirectly involved by tutoring students in the program in academic subjects, without teaching the elective AVID classes themselves. They can support the program by encouraging higher-order thinking and executive-functioning skills throughout their curriculum. Administrators may also find it helpful to speak with schools that have already implemented the program.

Measuring AVID's Success

Like any program, schools see varying levels of success with AVID. When it’s applied and supported in the way the founders intended, it can make a real difference in students’ lives. One study found that 42% of first-generation, low-income AVID college students graduate with a four-year degree within six years. Over the same time period, only 11% of their peers gained a four-year degree. Some studies indicate that the longer students participate in the program, the more effective it is. Students had higher GPAs, completed more AP courses, and showed higher levels of executive-functioning skills. Other studies find mixed results for the program, noting that it may not be any more effective than remedial academic programs in terms of student grades and graduation rates. The founders of the program point out that AVID works best when schools make a true commitment, giving teachers the professional development and support they need to put principles into action.

AVID's 45th Anniversary

AVID is celebrating its 45th anniversary. The grand finale of AVID’s 45th anniversary celebration will be December 11-13, 2025, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, CA. The AVID National Conference is a movement of educators and leaders who believe in the power of possibility and the promise of every student.

Read also: What is AVID?

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