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AVID College Readiness Program
AVID helps prepare students for college and success in a global society.
Get involved in AVID, it can change your life
My AVID story
Hear how AVID helped North Garland alum, Nievez Montanez, achieve her college dreams.
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
What is AVID?
The AVID program is designed to help students who have the potential to succeed in college, but may not have access to the resources and support they need to get there.
AVID builds on each student's own individual determination to succeed while also:
- Teaching strategies for success in academically challenging courses
- Providing support from teachers, other AVID students, college tutors, and family members
What happens in the AVID classroom?
AVID is not a remedial or at-risk program. Students in the AVID elective are required to take an advanced-level class every semester to prepare them for the challenges of college.
In addition to receiving the support needed to succeed in those advanced courses, AVID classroom activities focus on and support the following areas:
- Character development including self-awareness, goal setting and community and school involvement
- Spoken communication skills such as public speaking and speaking with adults and peers
- Writing skills and help with writing applications and a variety of essays or other types of writing
- Critical thinking and questioning, including tutorial sessions
- Collaboration through class discussions, team-building lessons and learning with and from peers
- Strategies for organizing materials and time including the use of binders, planners/agendas and academic portfolios, note-taking skills and study habits
- Critical reading skills
- College preparedness and awareness through guest speakers, field trips, college and career exploration
Who can be in AVID?
Students in the AVID elective represent the underserved “students in the middle” who, with the rigor and support of the AVID program will graduate high school ready for college, career or the military.
AVID students have academic potential and:
- Have passing test scores (STAAR, etc)
- Maintain a 2.0-3.5+ GPA (Or 70-100% for middle school)
- Plan to attend college or post-secondary institution after high school
- Are historically underserved in post-secondary institutions
- Have special circumstances as determined by the school’s site team that makes the AVID elective the best choice for the student
- May be the first in their family to attend college*
- English Language Learners and Special Education students*
As long as a student's schedule has room for the AVID elective and they meet the criteria listed above, they can be in AVID.
*These are not requirements, but special considerations.
Join AVID
Students must apply to be placed in the AVID elective and interviewed by the school's AVID team. They must sign a contract indicating their desire and determination to go to college.
For more information, contact the AVID Department or your middle or high school’s AVID Coordinator.
AVID Excel
AVID Excel is a version of AVID for middle school students learning English. It helps emergent bilinguals prepare for taking AVID and college prep courses in high school. 96.4% of AVID Excel students are recommended for college prep courses in high school. AVID Excel teaches students to use research-based strategies as they write, organize their learning, understand complex texts, learn inquiry techniques, and work with peers.
Students in AVID Excel:
- Scored "Advanced" or "Advanced High" on TELPAS
- Have not met standard STAAR Reading
- Have spent 4+ years in U.S. schools
National Demonstration Schools
Less than two percent of the most successful AVID campuses across the country can be called National Demonstration Schools. One of our schools has earned this distinctive title:
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Contact us
For more information about AVID, contact: