1. Raising Academic Performance for Students in the Middle
Dr. Betty Krohn, AVID Texas Program Manager
Ben Solomon, AVID Texas Program Manager

2. 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?”

3. Students in the academic middle
Who are they?
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
Students in the academic middle

4. Challenges and Choices: Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps
These slides should establish the urgency of action needed.

5. Underlying Everything Is the Cycle of Low Expectations
Poor Test Results
Less Challenging Courses
Low Level Assignments/
Instruction

6. National Rates National Rates
Race and ethnic graduation rates based on the Urban Institute’s Cumulative Promotion Index.
Disability graduation rate is from National Council on Disability, 24th Annual Report to Congress.
Realize the Dream, National Report Card on Education and Equal Opportunity, accessed 10/3/2005:

7. Of 100 Kindergarteners…
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, , In The Condition of Education, 2002.

8. College Graduates by Age 24
Young people from High 75%
Income families
Young people from Low 9%
Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Educational Opportunity.

9. 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.

10. Students Who Require Remediation Are Less Likely to Earn a Degree
Cliff Adelman, Cliff in Crosstalk. Vol. 6 No.3, Summer 1998.

11. 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
SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.

12. 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

13. “College by design, not by chance”
Change Sought...
To develop an equitable
College-Going Culture in secondary schools…
“College by design, not by chance”

14. 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.

15. Academic Preparation Transcript Study:
“the single biggest predictor of college success is
the quality and intensity of students’ high school curriculum”
Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education, 1999.

16. 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!
Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini, ASCD, 2001.

17. 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

18. 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

19. Adelman, 1999 American Educator, 2004
Academic Preparation
Academically well-prepared students are likely to graduate from college regardless of their social background.
Unprepared students of all backgrounds are
not likely to do so.
Adelman, American Educator, 2004

20. AP and College Success
Students who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years or less.
Camara, Wayne (2003). College Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY: College Board.

21. Impact of AP on 5-Year College Graduation Rates
Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation (National Center for Educational Accountability, 2005)

22. Individual Determination [L. avidus]: eager for knowledge
Advancement
Via
Individual Determination
[L. avidus]: eager for knowledge

23. Superman vs. Batman Superman – 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 Students
Batman 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)

24. AVID Program Components
Classroom curriculum
Academic instruction
Instructional tools
Tutorial support
Student connections
Professional development

25. The AVID Elective Curriculum

26. Academic Instruction WICR Study Skills Writing to learn Inquiry
Collaboration
Reading to learn
Study Skills

27. Instructional Tools Cornell Note Taking Planners/Time Management
Binders/Organizational Skills
AVID Curriculum Library

28. Tutorial Program Collaborative Tutorial Socratic method
Costa’s levels of questioning
1 college tutor for every 7 students

29. Collaborative Support for the Success of Students
Colleges
and
Universities
AVID
Support
Staff
Community
Parents
AVID
Coordinator
(AVID Elective
Teacher)
Student
Student
Administration
Tutors
Subject
Area
Teachers
Counselors
Collaborative Support for the Success of Students

30. Student Connections Teacher/adult advocate Supportive peer groups
Community service activities
Extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities
Motivational activities
Career and college exploration

31. Professional Development
Summer Institute
District Director training
Content area PATH trainings
Tutor training
Regional workshops

32. 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

33. Effective Instruction by Meta-Analysis
AVID and
Classroom Instruction That Works
Effective Instruction by Meta-Analysis
examines average effect of 1251 experimental studies
focuses on instructional strategies with high probability of
success for all pupils, K-12, in all subjects
expresses results as effect size
(An effect size of 1 = 34 percentile point gain)
Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 4-7.

34. Categories of Instructional Strategies That Affect Student Achievement
Identifying similarities and differences %*
Summarizing and note-taking 34%
Reinforcing effort & providing recognition 29%
Homework and practice 28%
Nonlinguistic representations 27%
Cooperative learning %
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
Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 7.

35. Why AVID Works
Accelerates under-achieving students into more rigorous courses
Teaches academic skills not targeted in other classes
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 and determination

36. AVID Teaches the “Hidden” Curriculum
In AVID students are challenged with rigorous curriculum, but they are also taught:
Leadership Skills
Study Skills
Organizational Skills
Goal Setting
Student Success Skills
Social Skills

37. AVID Strengthens Middle school/high school articulation Accountability
Comprehensive professional development
A district-wide focus on results

38. How AVID Supports School Wide Change
Builds Partnerships:
Collaboration with College Board
Partners in state and federal grants
Partners with community organizations
Partners with parents
Partners with counseling programs
Collaboration with college outreach programs

39. 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, especially for minority students
Implements research based, best instructional practices for all students in the school

40. The success of AVID persists despite differences in:
school location
school ethnic distribution
school poverty level

41. AVID A student’s perspective

42. AVID in Texas San Antonio ISD implemented AVID in1997.
In 2008/2009, AVID is in 105 school districts and 2 charter programs, serving approximately 600 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.

43. 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 college
and were accepted. (n = 1680)
Data gathered in about AVID’s 2009 seniors.
n = 1680

44. AVID Growth in Texas High Schools Implementing AVID 2008-09 246 Sites
Middle Schools
Implementing AVID
Sites

45. AVID Growth in Texas High Schools Implementing AVID 2008-09
23,547 Students
Middle Schools
Implementing AVID
18,937 Students

46. AVID in Texas (2007-08) with AVID 2008-09
State of Texas Demographics
AVID Student Demographics

47. AVID in Texas – TAKS Data
TAKS Performance (% Passing) with Demographic
Comparisons: State of Texas vs. AVID in
7th Grade
8th Grade
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
Reading
Math
Writing
Social St
English
Science
State of TX 88 80 93 95 79 91 87 64 66 89 65 81
White 94 90 96 98
Hispanic 83 75 92 73 54 57 85 53
African
American 69 67 82 48 50
Eco Dis 72 71 86 52 55 84 51 70
AVID in TX 97 74

48. TAKS Performance (% Passing) with Demographic
Comparisons: State of Texas vs. AVID in
7th Grade
8th Grade
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
Reading
Math
Writing
Social St
English
Science
State of TX 88 80 93 95 79 91 87 64 66 89 65 81
White 94 90 96 98
Hispanic 83 75 92 73 54 57 85 53
African
American 69 67 82 48 50
Eco Dis 72 71 86 52 55 84 51 70
AVID in TX 97 74

49. AVID in Texas – College Readiness Indicators
Percent of Graduates in
State of Texas
AVID in Texas

50. AVID Results in Texas In August of 2007,
Northside ISD, in San Antonio, implemented AVID at the middle school level.

51. 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.

52. 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
AVID Center Data Collection System,
Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent

53. Using High School Allotment Funds
Section 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

54. Using High School Allotment Funds
Section 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
Using High School Allotment Funds

55. See projected AVID program cost handout
AVID: The Cost
One-time Costs:
AVID Library
District Director training (over a 2-year period)
Ongoing Costs:
College tutors
AVID membership fees
Summer Institute registration and travel
Continuing professional development
See projected AVID program cost handout

56. AVID: The Support AVID Support Regional trainings and meetings:
Tutor Trainings
Coordinator/Elective Teacher Meetings and Professional Development
Administrator/Counselor Meetings and Professional Development
District Director Meetings
Yearly Curriculum Updates
State District Director Meetings
Regional PATH Trainings
AVID Support

57. Texas AVID Research
Watt, 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, Leadership and Comprehensive School Reform: Implementation of AVID in Four South Texas Border Schools. The Catalyst.
All reports are available on the Texas AVID Website at:

58. Culture and Commitment, Margaret Mead, 1996
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

59. AVID Texas State Office Phone: 972-591-2550
Contact Information: Eileen Friou State Director Patrick Briggs Assistant State Director Dr. Betty Krohn Program Manager Ben Solomon Program Manager
AVID Texas State Office Phone: