What is AVID?

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is an aligned system that changes lives by helping schools shift to a more equitable, student-centered approach. AVID's mission is to help schools close the opportunity gap, and prepare all students for college, careers, and life.

Why AVID?

As part of the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant, our leaders and schools in the Carvers Bay communities are charged with developing theme-based magnet programs that provide all students with the opportunity to meet challenging academic content and student academic achievement. While each school promotes a specific theme curriculum, such as Digital Immersion, STREAM, Creative and Performing Arts, STEAM, or Early College and Career, AVID is the evidence-based system utilized for how students are engaged in this learning. In other words, AVID is the instructional vehicle that drives the theme and standards-based content implementations.

Our focus with AVID is to prepare every student academically, socially, and emotionally to be creative leaders in a global society by providing Pathways to Success.

How does AVID look in our MSAP schools?

AVID Elementary

AVID Elementary is a foundational component of the AVID College Readiness System, and supports AVID's mission to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society. 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, college, and life, in an age-appropriate and challenging way. Our elementary students will learn about organization, study skills, communication, and self-advocacy. AVID Elementary is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all elementary classrooms across entire grade levels to create and maintain schoolwide structures.

The strong college-going culture on an AVID Elementary campus encourages students to think about their college and career plans. Schools promote this environment by covering their walls with college pennants and banners, educators speak about their college experiences, guidance counselors highlight college and career opportunities and connect students with local colleges and businesses through field trips and guest speakers. 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 Secondary

Our 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.

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. AVID cultivates a growth mindset and develops students' academic disposition that college attendance is possible and a goal they can achieve.

AVID Elective

The AVID Elective is the core of AVID Secondary, which is grades 6 - 12. The course is offered as an exploratory or elective class in Carvers Bay Middle and Carvers Bay High, and students meet each day year-long. Each week, students receive direct instruction, tutor-led study groups, team-building and motivational activities as well as academic survival skills, including critical reading and writing. AVID Elective targets students in the academic middle with the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard. These are students who are capable of completing a rigorous curriculum with the support of the AVID Elective class.

The AVID Elective class places these students on the college track, requiring students to enroll in rigorous courses that are appropriate for them, such as Honors and Advanced Placement®. To support them in the rigorous coursework, AVID students learn organizational and study skills, develop critical thinking, learn to ask probing questions, receive academic help from peers, and participate in enrichment activities in order to make their college dreams a reality.

Being in the AVID Elective is voluntary. Students, with the permission of a parent or guardian, must complete an application, and participate in an interview and selection process. AVID students sign the AVID Student Agreement indicating their commitment to the program and to their success. The initial commitment is one year. Students are highly encouraged to continue in AVID as they progress through middle school and throughout high school.

Profile of an AVID Elective Student

In the academic middle with average GPA with average test scores
College potential with support
Good school attendance
Excellent behavior in and out of the classroom
Has the desire and individual determination to work hard and succeed
May be first generation in family to attend college
Historically under-served in four-year colleges and universities
Demonstrates good citizenship
Willingness to collaborate with others

AVID Elective Recruitment and Selection Process

AVID has a rigorous recruitment process when it comes to enrolling students into the AVID Elective classes. Students who are recommended must undergo a process that includes application, data evaluation, interview, and parent notification.

Recruitment process for Carvers Bay secondary schools:

Schools identified potential students in the academic middle with average grades or GPA, and who are historically under-served in four-year colleges and universities,
School site teams met to examine the data and select students meeting the criteria,
School Lead Teachers invited selected students to voluntarily complete an online application with a parent or guardian,
Each school held an AVID Elective Family Night to review the purpose and mission of the class for those who voluntarily completed the application,
Students were interviewed by the site team committee for the class, and
Students and parents were notified by phone or email to convey acceptance into the Elective class.

AVID Instructional Support System

AVID’s proven learning support structure, known as WICOR, incorporates teaching/learning methodologies in the critical areas of Writing to Learn, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading to Learn. WICOR provides a learning model that educators can use to guide students in comprehending concepts and articulating ideas at increasingly complex levels.

Writing is a learning tool, a personal and public communication tool, and serves as a record of thinking. Students who write consider audience and purpose, engage in various writing processes to address specific situations, support their thinking, and demonstrate understanding.
Inquiry is uncovering one's understanding, asking critical questions, engaging in thinking, learning and discussion. Students who inquire analyze and synthesize materials or ideas, clarify their own thinking, probe others' thinking, and work through ambiguity. The ability to ask skilled questions is one of the keys to unlocking deeper thinking and understanding of a topic. As students begin to ask higher level questions, they increase retention and understand the relevance of information at a new level.
Collaboration is teamwork with shared responsibility, sharing of ideas, information and opinions, and formal and informal discussion. Students who collaborate work together toward a common goal, develop positive interdependence, work in focused study groups, and support the learning of others through inquiry. Collaboration affords our students the opportunity to work with peers in various group configurations as they engage subject matter across content areas. While collaborating in small groups students learn to work together to inquire, explore, and answer questions. They become better listeners, thinkers, speakers, and writers; they discover ideas and remember them because they are actively involved.
Organization is managing materials and practicing methodical study habits, planning and prioritizing school, work and social tasks, engaging in mental preparation and goal-setting, and strategically and intentionally taking responsibility for one's own learning. Students who organize, develop and use processes, procedures and tools to study effectively, manage their time through prioritizing and goal-setting, are prepared for courses, participate during instruction and interact with instructors, and self-direct, self-evaluate, self-monitor and self-advocate. Our AVID schools support students in organizing their materials and resources through a ONE-binder system, rather than several binders, so students have at hand the materials necessary to study for quizzes and tests and to finish homework assignments each night at home. One of the most important tools for academic success is the ability to keep materials and assignments organized.
Reading is strategically gaining meaning, understanding and knowledge from print and other media, purpose-driven, and interactive. Students who read understand text structures, apply prior knowledge and make connections to other text, self and world, make predictions and ask questions, and create visual images as they read. The ability to read and comprehend is one of the most important skills for students in any grade level, but it is especially important at the postsecondary level.

AVID Parents and Guardians:
Our AVID parents/guardians are an important part of our AVID team. Parents are provided information and support through various means so they can encourage and support their children to succeed. In this manner, the learning doesn't stop at school at the end of the school day, but continues at home. We are committed to communicating with our AVID parents/guardians regularly. Family events and other opportunities for parent involvement are also offered throughout the year.

Magnet Programs

2025 Magnet School Fair and Application Windows

What are Magnet Programs?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AVID?

GCSD MSAP Grant Narrative

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