AVID Elementary is a foundational component of the AVID College Readiness System and supports AVID’s mission to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.
Based on the same learning foundation that underlies AVID Secondary, AVID Elementary focuses on grades 3
through 5/6 with on-ramps for K–2 and is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all elementary
classrooms across entire grade levels to maintain school-wide structures.
AVID Elementary's implementation resources, trainings, and philosophy are all grounded in the idea that the growth
mindset can be taught to students, and it is through the growth mindset that AVID students succeed in following their
dreams and fulfilling their aspirations.
AVID Elementary takes a systemic approach through the use of WICOR and an explicit focus on high expectations, rigor,
and developing a college readiness culture.
Learn more about AVID ELEMENTARY.
Based on the same learning foundation that underlies AVID Secondary, AVID Elementary focuses on grades 3
through 5/6 with on-ramps for K–2 and is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all elementary
classrooms across entire grade levels to maintain school-wide structures.
AVID Elementary's implementation resources, trainings, and philosophy are all grounded in the idea that the growth
mindset can be taught to students, and it is through the growth mindset that AVID students succeed in following their
dreams and fulfilling their aspirations.
AVID Elementary takes a systemic approach through the use of WICOR and an explicit focus on high expectations, rigor,
and developing a college readiness culture.
Learn more about AVID ELEMENTARY.
What is AVID Elementary?In its 30-plus years, AVID has proven time and time again that, when given a system of rigorous curriculum and strategic support, students can be academically successful. AVID Elementary is a foundational component of the AVID College Readiness System and supports AVID’s mission and vision to provide a comprehensive model of success for all students, from elementary through higher education.
Based on the same learning foundation that underlies AVID Secondary, AVID Elementary is designed to be embedded into the daily instruction of all elementary classrooms, across entire grade levels, to impact schoolwide structures. Like AVID Secondary, AVID Elementary Essentials focus on the four necessary areas to ensure that all students are poised for academic success: Instruction, Culture, Leadership, and Systems. ComponentsAVID Elementary incorporates: Student Success Skills – encompassing communication skills (e.g. listening, speaking, writing), self-advocacy skills, note-taking strategies, critical thinking, and study skills. Organizational Skills – both mental and physical; students learn to use organizational tools, as well as learn and practice skills around time management and goal-setting. WICOR Lessons – emphasize instruction on writing to learn, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading to learn in all content areas. Partnerships – among students, classrooms, grade levels, schools, feeder patterns, families, and communities. |
ResearchAVID’s curriculum, resources, methodologies, and strategies have always been research-based. AVID Elementary (AE) is steeped in research and practice from internationally recognized thought leaders, in subjects like motivation, student achievement and influence. Below is a brief overview of AE’s research basis.
AE is immersed in the research of Dr. Carol Dweck, one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation. In her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, she writes: “In the growth mindset, people believe that their talents and abilities can be developed through passion, education, and persistence. For them, it’s not about looking smart or grooming their image. It’s about a commitment to learning—taking informed risks and learning from the results, surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you to grow, looking frankly at your deficiencies and seeking to remedy them.” AE’s implementation resources, trainings, and philosophy are all grounded in the idea that the growth mindset can be taught to students, and it is through the growth mindset that students succeed in following their dreams and fulfilling their aspirations. AE incorporates the “best teaching practices” and research findings of Marzano, Gaddy, and Dean, which have become critical to the entire AVID College Readiness System. This research identified nine instructional strategies with the highest probability of enhancing student achievement for all students, in all subjects, at all grade levels:
AE’s Certification process is based around the work of Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory, which focuses on the power of individuals to influence and educate one another through imitation and reciprocal determinism. Through this lens, the academic environment, the educator’s perspective, and the student’s perspective merge together within grade levels, and ultimately, across the entire school. |
Essentials & Quality AssuranceAs a foundational component of the AVID College Readiness System, AVID Elementary focuses on specific AVID Essentials to ensure quality and consistency as a transformational system.
Essential One: Instruction WICOR strategies set the framework for AVID Elementary instruction. Essential Two: Culture AVID Elementary sites incorporate a culture of rigorous, relevant, differentiated opportunities for all students in an environment that promotes college readiness. Essential Three: Leadership AVID Elementary leadership supports, guides, and facilitates AVID Elementary implementation. Essential Four: Systems AVID Elementary sites align their systems through the use of accountability, articulation, assessment, and calibration to ensure the fidelity of AVID Elementary implementation across grades. AVID Elementary Certification Process – Quality Assurance To maintain AVID Elementary’s quality and ensure that the Essentials are being implemented at the highest standards, AVID Elementary schools undergo annual Certification. The Certification process is intended to enhance the work of AVID Elementary educators, by aligning their work to the Essentials, as well as state standards and accountability measures, and by collecting data to inform their instruction. To become Certified, an AVID Elementary school must have adopted a philosophy aligned with AVID’s mission and incorporated AVID strategies into daily expectations. |