AVID At a Glance

When Mary Catherine Swanson began AVID in 1980, she relied on her fourteen years of teaching experience and research to develop each aspect that was incorporated into the program.  Through research and collaboration with postsecondary faculty, she found the important skills necessary for a student to be successful at the postsecondary level.  The Cornell note-taking technique, the strong emphasis on academic reading and writing skills, and student collaboration all came from the diligent research of Mary Catherine and her team of teachers and professors.

In 1977 Mary Catherine completed her Master’s thesis in Education.  In her thesis she identified the key components of a program that could help all students succeed in rigorous English classes.  These components form the foundation of AVID, including its philosophy, practices, and curriculum and include:

1. A non-traditional classroom setting meeting the academic and emotional needs of individual students.
2. The teacher as advisor/counselor/student advocate
3. An emphasis on objective data
4. The student at the center of decision-making regarding educational goals
5. A student contract outlining willingness to work and setting learning goals
6. Student support from teachers and skilled, trained tutors
7. A curriculum emphasizing academic reading and writing
8. Reliance on the Socratic process

("AVID's History." MYAVID. AVID, 2015. Web. 8 Dec. 2015. <www.avid.org/history.ashx>.)

Birdville ISD AVID Schoolwide System

Currently, BISD has the AVID schoolwide system in three middle schools (Haltom Middle School, North Oaks Middle School, Watauga Middle School) and one high school (Haltom High School).  Haltom High School is a National AVID Demonstration Site and received this distinction in 2015. The AVID Schoolwide System integrates 5 core elements:  writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading.  AVID is governed by 4 domains: intruction, systems, leadership and culture.

AVID National Demonstraton Schools are exemplary models of the AVID College Readiness System.  Demonstration sites commit to fostering, at the highest level of visibility, the essentials of AVID within district and beyond.  The student interest process begins on campus with a student campus recommendation for the AVID program or a student/parent request for program consideration.  Program criteria and academic commitment will be communicated by the AVID Site Coordinator of the aforementioned campuses. 

For additional information about AVID, contact Ramonda Fields (Advanced Academics District Coordinator) at 817-547-5783 or ramonda.fields@birdvilleschools.net.