Celebrating AVID’s Success Through Research

Third-party studies, evaluations, and published peer-reviewed research proves the effectiveness of AVID’s core beliefs.

The AVID College and Career Readiness Framework helps educators re-frame how they view students’ potential and re-frame how they create a learning ecosystem with existing talent, resources, and systems.

Evidence of AVID’s Impacts

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Endorses AVID Findings:
AVID Students Graduate High School and Enroll in College at Significantly Higher Rates

States and districts requiring confirmation of Tier 2 evidence of effectiveness by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) for the use of ESSA funding can now add AVID to their list of eligible support providers! Click here to read the WWC’s official review.

• Under ESSA, districts and schools were called to use “evidence-based interventions” as the foundation for education programs and interventions to increase the impact of educational investments and ensure that interventions being implemented had proven effectiveness in leading to desired outcomes (e.g., improving student outcomes or achievement).
• Interventions applied under Title I, Section 1003 (School Improvement) are required to have strong, moderate, or promising evidence (Tiers 1–3) to support them. All other programs under Titles I–IV can rely on Tiers 1–4.

AVID Schoolwide Impact
A Case Study on Increasing College Readiness through AVID (The BERC Study)

The College Readiness Initiative (CRI), sponsored by College Spark Washington (CSW), was launched in 2006 with six-year grants to 39 secondary schools serving low-income students in Washington State. Baker Evaluation Research and Consulting (BERC) conducted a longitudinal evaluation of the initiative, which included an impact assessment of the AVID program. Results indicated that students’ course-taking patterns and achievement improved, and subsequent high school graduation and college enrollment rates increased. The evaluation, found here, also provides the following key takeaways:

• Skills and behaviors for academic success can be taught. Students can learn skills, behaviors, and techniques for academic success, especially when teachers have been trained and coached in effective instructional strategies to build a college-going culture.
• A culture of positive academic peer pressure can be created. Building cultures of college and career readiness and confidence in the ability of all students to achieve their dreams creates momentum to transform individuals, classrooms, and communities.
• Academic mindsets can be fostered. AVID has taught us that one of the best strategies for building academic mindsets is to create an environment of high expectations. As the program’s name suggests, personal achievement can be gained through hard work and determination.
• Tutor processes and relationships are powerful. Whether one-to-one or in a small group setting, providing intensive support through tutorials boosts engagement and progress.
• Strong student-teacher relationships make all the difference. The primacy of relationships shows up again and again in teaching and learning.

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AVID Schoolwide Impact
Schoolwide Impact and AVID

An article published in the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, by Watt, Powell, Mendiola, and Cossio (2006) examined high schools in Texas that used AVID as a model for comprehensive school reform. AVID schools in this study saw an improvement in areas of advanced course enrollment, students graduating with advanced graduation plans, AP/IB testing, and high school graduation or completion rates over the four-year period. Their districts also experienced gains in all four areas. Non-AVID schools experienced gains in students graduating on advanced graduation plans and AP/IB testing, and their districts followed the same pattern. However, results showed that the performance profiles of AVID schools and their districts have improved over four years of AVID implementation while the non-AVID comparison schools and districts did not show similar improvements even though their student demographics were very similar. Seven of the AVID schools and two of the non-AVID schools improved their accountability ratings. By impacting the performance of a cohort of predominantly non-white and/or low-income students, AVID can leverage the profile of the entire school even prior to having direct impacts on other non-AVID students schoolwide. Click here to read the full article.

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AVID Schoolwide Impact
From IR to 7-Star: How AVID Activated a Schoolwide Culture of Learning at Bryan Adams High School

Bryan Adams High School leveraged their implementation of AVID to flip the script on student achievement, student progress, performance gaps, and postsecondary readiness. By embracing AVID’s schoolwide leadership model to provide professional development to faculty and shift the school to a more future-forward, student-centered approach, the school:.

• Built a network of leaders
• Created a college-going culture
• Connected teachers with systems, training, and support
• Adopted research-based best practices for instruction

Read the full case study here.

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AVID Professional Learning Impacts
The School District of Osceola County, Florida

An article published in the International Journal of Educational Reform, by David Maddock and Leah Torres (2021), examined an evaluation of AVID effects in 10 middle schools and 7 high schools using propensity matching. Providing schoolwide AVID was correlated with higher school grades in the Florida accountability system, and students in the elective were found to have statistically significantly higher GPAs, higher learning gains scores, greater enrollment in acceleration, and a higher likelihood of receiving college scholarships. Read a more detailed summary here, or click here to see the full publication citation.

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AVID Professional Learning Impacts
The AVID Effect – Professional Learning That “Sticks” and Engages Teachers

This white paper illustrates how AVID professional learning (PL) exhibits characteristics of effectiveness, engages teachers, and fosters positive change in teacher behavior and student learning. AVID PL is an interactive, ongoing and supported process. It is based on instructional practices that are thoroughly researched and easily transferrable into school settings, making it relevant to both teachers’ and administrators’ respective learning environments. Pre- and post-survey results revealed the following:

• Increases in the numbers of teachers who fully understand the AVID strategies
• Increases in the numbers of teachers who fully integrated the AVID strategies into the way they teach in the classroom
• Increases in the numbers of teachers who saw a positive change in the behavior of students and how students learned

The findings in this study, found here, suggest that AVID PL exhibits multiple characteristics of effectiveness and correlates with increases in reported teacher and student engagement which result in more effective, dynamic learning experiences for students.

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AVID Professional Learning Impacts
Teacher Leadership

The findings of a 2008 study published in Academic Leadership: The Online Journal conclude that AVID professional development, when defined as the number of AVID Summer Institutes attended, is a significant predictor of teacher leadership, even after any overlapping effects from a teacher’s gender, level of education, and teaching experience have been accounted for. Given the roles that teachers play in school improvement efforts, the implications of this study are important not only for those involved with AVID, but also for school and district administrators interested in school reform. Click here to read the full article. This study was replicated in later research and published in Professional Development in Education using more robust instruments. The findings indicated that even experienced teachers continue to develop as leaders after receiving additional types of professional development.

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AVID Professional Learning Impacts
Teacher Retention

Recent data in Oregon suggests that schools retain AVID-trained educators, particularly those newer to the profession, at greater rates than teachers who have not been AVID-trained. But how? AVID’s professional learning facilitates a culture of cooperation and engagement between and among teachers and leaders. Feeling appreciated, invested in, and involved are important for retaining educators which, in turn, equates to higher retention and less financial strain on the district. Click here to learn more.

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AVID in High School Settings
Virginia Beach City Public Schools

This comprehensive evaluation of AVID in VBCPS was designed to (1) examine the implementation and operation of AVID, and (2) determine the extent to which the program is meeting its goals and objectives. With regard to meeting goals and objectives, comparisons were made between an AVID group and either a matched comparison group, all non-AVID students in AVID schools, or all middle and/or high school students districtwide. Read a more detailed summary here, or click here to see the full evaluation.

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AVID in High School Settings
Clark County School District

This evaluation of AVID in CCSD consisted of two distinct components: an outcome evaluation and an implementation evaluation. With regard to student outcomes, results from a matched sample of 474 10th, 11th, and 12th grade AVID students and 473 non-AVID students indicated that AVID students outperformed their peers in grade point average and Nevada High School Proficiency Exam (NHSPE) math test scores. AVID students also had higher pass rates than their peers on the NHSPE reading assessment, enrolled in more Honors/AP courses, and had higher attendance rates. Read a more detailed summary here, or click here to see the full evaluation.

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AVID in High School Settings
Madison Metropolitan School District

An article published in the Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), by Tammy Kolbe, Peter Kinsley, Rachel Carly Feldman, and Sara Goldrick-Rab, presents findings from a multi-year evaluation and cost analysis of the AVID/TOPS program – an enhanced AVID model – in the Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin. The evaluation found this model to be associated with an increased likelihood for college readiness and matriculation, particularly for student groups underrepresented in higher education. Read a more detailed summary here, or click here to see the full publication citation.

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AVID in Middle School Settings
Evaluation of the AVID program in Albuquerque Public Schools

This evaluation illustrates that when compared to a group of similar non-AVID students, students who enrolled in AVID while in middle school were much more likely to have taken 8th grade Algebra, have a significantly higher 8th grade GPA, and have significantly higher 9th grade attendance. The AVID students were also more likely than their non-AVID peers to be on track for future graduation as of the end of 9th grade. Read the full evaluation summary here.

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AVID in Middle School Settings
Examining AVID’s Impact on Middle School Rigor and Student Preparedness

This mixed methods research study, published in American Secondary Education in 2013, examined the impact that AVID in middle school settings has on middle school course rigor and on students’ college readiness later in high school. When compared to students who only enrolled in AVID while in high school, students who enrolled in AVID in both middle school and high school had significantly higher GPAs, were more likely to complete four-year college entrance requirements, and were more likely to take an AP course. Read a more detailed summary here, or click here to see the full publication citation.

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AVID in Elementary School Settings
Research Recap: A Qualitative Study of Sites Successfully Implementing AVID Elementary

This qualitative study conducted by Dr. Lea Hubbard and Dr. Tonda Potts sought to address the following question: How does AVID Elementary impact students and schools?

Some key findings included:

• AE provides a rigorous learning environment for all students.
• AE provides a common language and empowers everyone to work together supporting both student and teacher learning.
• AE helps students believe they can achieve academic success by offering academic, social, and emotional support.
• AE cultivates a growth mindset and develops students’ academic disposition that college attendance is possible and a goal they can achieve.
• AE creates an educational climate that is kinder, gentler and instills a sense of family.

Read the full one-page summary here.

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AVID in Elementary School Settings
Evidence of AVID Elementary Effectiveness

A review of data from over 1,600 AE sites provides some clear insight into the effectiveness of AVID Elementary. For example, teachers, school leaders, and outside observers find that students’ actions, skills, and behaviors are most impacted, with prominent evidence illustrating improvement in the organization of students’ work and the overall culture of the campus. Read the full summary here.

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