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AVID
AVID is a nationally recognized academic support program designed to prepare students who are in the academic middle for college eligibility and success. AVID stands for
Advancement
Via
Individual
Determination
and has a proven track record of thirty years in bringing out the best in students and in closing the achievement gap. AVID targets students in the middle, underachievers, and/or students with limited or no exposure to college preparatory information. These are students who have the desire to go to college, the willingness to work hard, and the determination to succeed. AVID gives students access and opportunities to participate in rigorous courses such as Advanced Placement, while helping students with organizational, time management, critical thinking, reading, writing, and speaking skills.
Elsik High School Graduate Maria Hernandez Shared Her Story at the 2017 Avid Summer Institute
See how AVID makes a difference here.
AVID was first implemented in Alief during the 2007-2008 school year at Elsik, Hastings and Taylor high schools. Each campus started with two sections of the AVID elective. Today, AVID has grown to multiple sections at each of these campuses. In the 2009-2010 school year, implementation of AVID began at Alief's Early College High School, Olle Middle School, and Klentzman Intermediate. As Olle served as a pilot for the middle school elective and Klentzman served as a pilot for AVID Elementary, AVID is now being implemented on all Alief Middle and Intermediate campuses. Since 2016, we have incorporated several of the elementary campuses as well: Bush, Chancellor, Collins, Cummings, Hearne, Heflin, Hicks, Liestman, Outley, and Petrosky.
Since the 2016-2017 school year, Alief Early College High School has been designated as an AVID National Site of Distinction.
The AVID curriculum used in the AVID elective classes is based on rigorous standards, utilizing instruction in the research-based WICOR methodology of writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading. Content teachers throughout each campus also utilize the strategies to transform students in all classes from passive learners into active classroom contributors, problem-solving collaborators, and critical thinkers.
AVID Secondary Domains and AVID Elementary Essentials are focused on four categories:
Instruction
Systems
Leadership
Culture
AVID Classes Participate in Field Trip Opportunities
The AVID Elective class at the secondary level provides numerous opportunities for students to participate in field trips that promote college and career awareness. AVID students have visited Texas A&M University, University of Texas, University of Houston, Sam Houston State, Texas State, Stephen F. Austin University, Rice University, University of St. Thomas, University of Houston Downtown, and Houston Baptist University just to name a few. AVID students also take virtual tours of out-of-state colleges and connect with admissions advisors all over the country.