Dr. Wendell J. Brown, Texas State Director

Closing the Achievement Gap with the AVID College

Readiness System

Who is in the Middle?

Think about students with whom you have been associated that you consider to be “in the middle.”

What is it about these students that puts them “in the middle?”

Students in the academic middle

B, C, and D Students

Falling short of their potential

Capable of completing rigorous curriculum

First in family to attend college

Historically underrepresented in four-year

colleges

and universities

Economically disadvantaged

Who are they?

5

Challenges and Choices:

Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps

Underlying Everything Is the Cycle of Low Expectations

6

Low Expectations

Low Level Assignments/Instruction

Poor Test Results

Less Challenging Courses

National Rates77 75

50 53 51 56

0

20

40

60

80

100

Pe

rce

nta

ge

National Graduation Rates by Race, Ethnicity, and Disability

Asian/PI White Black Hispanic Native American/Alaskan Disability

Realize the Dream, National Report Card on Education and Equal Opportunity, accessed 10/3/2005: http://realizethedream.civilrights.org/scorecards/national.cfm

Race and ethnic graduation rates based on the Urban Institute’s Cumulative Promotion Index.Disability graduation rate is from National Council on Disability, 24 th Annual Report to Congress.

National Rates

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2001, In The Condition of Education, 2002.

Of 100 Kindergarteners…93

87

6365

50

3233

1811

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

White AfricanAmerican

Hispanic

Graduate from highschool

Complete at least somecollege

Obtain at least abachelor's degree

College Graduates by Age 24

Young people from High 75%Income families

Young people from Low 9%Income families

Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Educational Opportunity.

The Reality...

Nearly 75% of high school graduates enter colleges,

• but only 12% of these students have completed a significant college-prep curriculum.*

Consequences:

• High percentages of students requiring remediation

• Low bachelor’s degree completion rates

Kati Haycock, Closing the Achievement Gap, Educational Leadership, 2007.

Cliff Adelman, Cliff in Crosstalk. Vol. 6 No.3, Summer 1998.

Students Who Require Remediation Are Less Likely to Earn a Degree

Earned BA

No Remedial Courses 54%

One Remedial Course 45%

Three Remedial Courses 18%

More than Two Semesters of Reading

9%

SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.

Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers

Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles

In the end, we have to make different choices.

Achievement and opportunity gaps come from choices that educators and policymakers make.

Choices about: How much to spend on whom

What to expect of different schools and students

Who teaches whom

How to organize classrooms and schools

Change Sought...

To develop an equitable College-Going Culture in secondary schools…

“College by design, not by chance”

Meeting the Challenge

To help all students do rigorous work and meet or exceed high standards in each content area, we must help students:

Develop as readers and writers.

Develop deep content knowledge.

Know content specific strategies for reading, writing, thinking and talking.

Develop habits, skills, and behaviors to use knowledge and skills.

Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education, 1999.

Academic Preparation

Transcript Study:

“the single biggest predictor of college success is

the quality and intensity of students’ high school

curriculum”

Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini, ASCD, 2001.

What is Academic Rigor?

Rigor is the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging.

Taking rigorous courses opens doors!

What Rigor Looks Like for ALL Students…

qualitatively different academic environments

no predetermined limits

development of deep understanding

consistent engagement in sophisticated investigations

building inquiry-based learning communities

What Rigor Looks Like for ALL Students…

building upon interests, strengths and personal goals

teachers and students as risk-takers

creation of life-long learners and thinkers

encouragement of independent investigation

acceptance of responsibility

Academic PreparationAcademically well-prepared students are likely to graduate from college regardless of their social background.

Unprepared students of all backgrounds arenot likely to do so.

Adelman, 1999 American Educator, 2004

Camara, Wayne (2003). College Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY: College Board.

AP and College SuccessStudents who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years or less.

Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation (National Center for Educational Accountability, 2005)

Impact of AP on 5-Year College Graduation Rates

Advancement

Via

Individual Determination

[L. avidus]: eager for knowledge

Superman vs. BatmanSuperman – Gifted & Talented

Superman is naturally Gifted & Talented. He does not need any special help or toys and

gadgets to be successful.

He just flies and is blessed with powers naturally.

Batman – AVID StudentsBatman is just as capable as Superman, but he needs:

Alfred the Butler (AVID Teacher), Special toys and gadgets (AVID Classroom and

WICR), and Robin (AVID tutors and peers)

AVID College Readiness System Components

Classroom curriculum

Academic instruction

Instructional tools

Tutorial support

Student connections

Professional development

The AVID Elective Curriculum

Academic Instruction

WICR Writing to learn Inquiry Collaboration Reading to learn

Study Skills

Instructional Tools

Cornell Note Taking

Planners/Time Management

Binders/Organizational

Skills

AVID Curriculum Library

Tutorial Process

Collaborative Tutorial

Socratic method

Costa’s levels of thinking

1 trained tutor for every 7

students

Collegesand

UniversitiesCommunity

Parents

Administration

CounselorsSubject

AreaTeachers

Tutors

AVIDCoordinator

(AVID ElectiveTeacher)

AVIDSupport

Staff

StudentStudent

Collaborative Support for the Success of Students

Student Connections

Teacher/adult advocate

Supportive peer groups

Community service activities

Extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities

Motivational activities

Career and college exploration

Professional Development

Summer Institute

District Director training

Content area PATH trainings

Tutor training

Regional workshops

Teachers benefit from...

Involvement in a systemic and curricular approach

Initial in-depth staff development and ongoing support in regions and districts Focus on results Accountability Site team work Increased leadership

Effective Instruction by Meta-Analysis

Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 4-7.

examines average effect of 1251 experimental studiesfocuses on instructional strategies with high probability of success for all pupils, K-12, in all subjectsexpresses results as effect size (An effect size of 1 = 34 percentile point gain)

AVID and Classroom Instruction That Works

Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 7.

Categories of Instructional Strategies That Affect Student Achievement

Identifying similarities and differences 45%*Summarizing and note-taking 34%Reinforcing effort & providing recognition 29%Homework and practice 28%Nonlinguistic representations 27%Cooperative learning 27%Setting objectives & providing feedback 23%Generating and testing hypotheses 23%Questions, cues, & advance organizers 22%*Increase in achievement (percentile) of the experimental group compared to the control group

Why AVID Works Accelerates under-achieving students into more

rigorous courses

Teaches academic skills not targeted in otherclasses

Provides intensive support with in-class tutors and a strong student/teacher relationship

Creates a positive peer group for students

Develops a sense of hope for personal achievement gained through hard work anddetermination

AVID Teaches the “Hidden” Curriculum

In AVID students are challenged with rigorous curriculum, but they are also taught:

Leadership SkillsStudy SkillsOrganizational SkillsGoal SettingStudent Success SkillsSocial Skills

AVID Strengthens

Elementary/middle school/high school/post-secondary articulation

Accountability Comprehensive professional development A district-wide focus on results

How AVID Supports School Wide Change

Builds Partnerships:

• Collaboration with College Board/International Baccalaureate Organization

• Partners in state and federal grants• Partners with community organizations• Partners with parents• Partners with counseling programs• Collaboration with college outreach programs

How AVID Supports School Wide Change

Creates a College Going Culture: • Site team focused on a college-going culture• College field trips and research projects• College tutors as role models• College going data to guide district plan• Guest speakers• Increased AP and Pre-AP participation, IB and Pre-IB, and Duel

Enrollment courses especially for minority students• Implements research based, best instructional practices for

all students in the school

The success of AVID persists despite differences in:

school location school ethnic distribution school poverty level

AVID

A student’s perspective

AVID in Texas San Antonio ISD implemented AVID in1997.

In 2009/2010, AVID is in more than 105 school districts and charter programs, serving approximately 800 campuses.

The Texas AVID program is the second largest in the nation.

AVID is a state approved, innovative elective course with PEIMS numbers for AVID I – IV.

AVID Professional Development trainings have been approved to receive continuing professional development credit by the Texas State Board of Educator Certification.

Data gathered in 2008-09 about AVID’s 2009 seniors.

n = 1680

AVID Results in Texas

AVID seniors had a 97.7% graduation rate.

AVID seniors boasted an SAT and/or ACT taking

rate of 86.2%.

91.8% of AVID graduates completed four-year

college entrance requirements.

77.5% of seniors who applied to 4-year collegeand were accepted. (n = 1680)

AVID in Texas (2007-08) with AVID 2008-09

AVID Student DemographicsState of Texas Demographics

2008-09 AVID21% 62% 14% 61.5%

AVID Results in Texas

In August of

2007,

Northside ISD,

in San Antonio,

implemented

AVID at the

middle school

level.

AVID Results in Texas

In just one year,

Northside AVID

students have

shown

tremendous

gains in the

number of

students scoring

“Commended”

on the TAKS

Reading Test.

AVID Center Data Collection System, 2006-2007Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent

AVID Graduates Nationally

99% plan to enroll in a college or university

69% plan to enroll in a four-year university

30% plan to enroll in a two-year college

59% of parents had no college level experience

Using High School Allotment Funds

Section 39.114 High School Allotment states that districts and campuses must use funds to:

Implement college readiness programs to prepare underachieving students for college

Implement programs that encourage students toward advanced academic opportunities, such as dual credit and AP

Implement programs that give students opportunities to take academically rigorous course work, including four years of math and science

Using High School Allotment Funds

Section 39.114 High School Allotment states that districts and campuses must use funds to:

Implement programs that align the curriculum for grades 6 through 12 with postsecondary curriculum

Implement other high school completion and success initiatives in grades 6 through 12 as approved by the commissioner

AVID meets ALL HB1 requirements

See projected AVID program cost handout

AVID: The CostOne-time Costs:

AVID LibraryDistrict Director training (over a 2-year period)

Ongoing Costs:College tutorsAVID membership feesSummer Institute registration and travelContinuing professional development

AVID Support

AVID: The SupportRegional trainings and meetings:

Tutor TrainingsCoordinator/Elective Teacher Meetings and Professional DevelopmentAdministrator/Counselor Meetings and Professional DevelopmentDistrict Director Meetings

Yearly Curriculum Updates

State District Director Meetings

Regional PATH Trainings

All reports are available on the Texas AVID Website at: http://avid.panam.edu

Texas AVID ResearchWatt, Yanez, & Cossio (2003): AVID: A Comprehensive School Reform

Model for Texas. National Forum Journal

Watt, Powell & Mendiola (2004): Implications of One Comprehensive School Reform Model for Secondary School Students

Underrepresented in Higher Education. JESPAR.

Watt, Powell, Memdiola & Cossio (2006): School-wide Impact and AVID: How Have Selected Texa High Schools Addressed the New

Accountability Measure? JESPAR.

Watt, Huerta & Cossio, 2004. Leadership and Comprehensive School Reform: Implementation of AVID in Four South Texas Border Schools. The Catalyst.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Culture and Commitment, Margaret Mead, 1996

Contact Information:

Dr. Wendell J. Brown State Directorwbrown@avidcenter.org

Patrick Briggs Assistant State Directorpbriggs@avidcenter.org

Rachel Henley Program Managerrhenley@avidcenter.org

Pamela Kirschner Program Managerpkirschner@avidcenter.org

Ben Solomon Program Managerbsolomon@avidcenter.org

AVID Texas State Office Phone: 972-591-2550