Dr. Betty Krohn, AVID Texas Program ManagerBen Solomon, AVID Texas Program Manager
Raising Academic Performance for Students in
the Middle
Who is in the Middle?
Think about students with whom you have been associated that you consider to be “in the middle.”
What is it about these students that puts them “in the middle?”
Students in the academic middle
B, C, and D Students
Falling short of their potential
Capable of completing rigorous curriculum
First in family to attend college
Historically underrepresented in four-year
colleges
and universities
Economically disadvantaged
Who are they?
4
Challenges and Choices:
Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps
Underlying Everything Is the Cycle of Low Expectations
5
Low Expectations
Low Level Assignments/Instruction
Poor Test Results
Less Challenging Courses
National Rates77 75
50 53 51 56
0
20
40
60
80
100
Pe
rce
nta
ge
National Graduation Rates by Race, Ethnicity, and Disability
Asian/PI White Black Hispanic Native American/Alaskan Disability
Realize the Dream, National Report Card on Education and Equal Opportunity, accessed 10/3/2005: http://realizethedream.civilrights.org/scorecards/national.cfm
Race and ethnic graduation rates based on the Urban Institute’s Cumulative Promotion Index.Disability graduation rate is from National Council on Disability, 24 th Annual Report to Congress.
National Rates
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. March Current Population Surveys, 1971-2001, In The Condition of Education, 2002.
Of 100 Kindergarteners…93
87
6365
50
3233
1811
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
White AfricanAmerican
Hispanic
Graduate from highschool
Complete at least somecollege
Obtain at least abachelor's degree
College Graduates by Age 24
Young people from High 75%Income families
Young people from Low 9%Income families
Tom Mortenson, Postsecondary Educational Opportunity.
The Reality...
Nearly 75% of high school graduates enter colleges,
• but only 12% of these students have completed a significant college-prep curriculum.*
Consequences: • High percentages of students
requiring remediation• Low bachelor’s degree completion
ratesKati Haycock, Closing the Achievement Gap, Educational Leadership, 2007.
Cliff Adelman, Cliff in Crosstalk. Vol. 6 No.3, Summer 1998.
Students Who Require Remediation Are Less Likely to Earn a Degree
Earned BA
No Remedial Courses 54%
One Remedial Course 45%
Three Remedial Courses 18%
More than Two Semesters of Reading
9%
SREB, “Middle Grades to High School: Mending a Weak Link”. Unpublished Draft, 2002.
Challenging Curriculum Results in Lower Failure Rates, Even for Lowest Achievers
Ninth-grade English performance, by high/low level course, and eighth-grade reading achievement quartiles
In the end, we have to make different choices.
Achievement and opportunity gaps come from choices that educators and policymakers make.
Choices about: How much to spend on whom
What to expect of different schools and students
Who teaches whom
How to organize classrooms and schools
Change Sought...
To develop an equitable College-Going Culture in secondary schools…
“College by design, not by chance”
Meeting the Challenge
To help all students do rigorous work and meet or exceed high standards in each content area, we must help students:
Develop as readers and writers.
Develop deep content knowledge.
Know content specific strategies for reading, writing, thinking and talking.
Develop habits, skills, and behaviors to use knowledge and skills.
Cliff Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box, U.S. Department of Education, 1999.
Academic Preparation
Transcript Study:
“the single biggest predictor of college success is
the quality and intensity of students’ high school
curriculum”
Teaching What Matters Most; Standards and Strategies for Raising Student Achievement by Strong, Silver and Perini, ASCD, 2001.
What is Academic Rigor?
Rigor is the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging.
Taking rigorous courses opens doors!
What Rigor Looks Like for ALL Students…
qualitatively different academic environments
no predetermined limits
development of deep understanding
consistent engagement in sophisticated investigations
building inquiry-based learning communities
What Rigor Looks Like for ALL Students…
building upon interests, strengths and personal goals
teachers and students as risk-takers
creation of life-long learners and thinkers
encouragement of independent investigation
acceptance of responsibility
Academic PreparationAcademically well-prepared students are likely to graduate from college regardless of their social background.
Unprepared students of all backgrounds arenot likely to do so.
Adelman, 1999 American Educator, 2004
Camara, Wayne (2003). College Persistence, Graduation, and Remediation. College Board Research Notes (RN-19). New York, NY: College Board.
AP and College SuccessStudents who take AP courses and exams are much more likely than their peers to complete a bachelor’s degree in four years or less.
Chrys Dougherty, Lynn Mellor, and Shuling Jian, The Relationship Between Advanced Placement and College Graduation (National Center for Educational Accountability, 2005)
Impact of AP on 5-Year College Graduation Rates
Advancement
Via
Individual Determination
[L. avidus]: [L. avidus]: eager for knowledgeeager for knowledge
Superman vs. BatmanSuperman – Gifted & Talented
Superman is naturally Gifted & Talented. He does not need any special help or toys and gadgets to be successful. He just flies and is blessed with powers naturally.
Batman – AVID StudentsBatman is just as capable as Superman, but he needs:
Alfred the Butler (AVID Teacher), Special toys and gadgets (AVID Classroom and WICR), and Robin (AVID tutors and peers)
AVID Program Components
Classroom curriculum
Academic instruction
Instructional tools
Tutorial support
Student connections
Professional development
The AVID Elective Curriculum
Academic Instruction
WICRWriting to learnInquiryCollaboration Reading to learn
Study Skills
Instructional Tools
Cornell Note Taking
Planners/Time Management
Binders/Organizational
Skills
AVID Curriculum Library
Tutorial Program
Collaborative Tutorial
Socratic method
Costa’s levels of questioning
1 college tutor for every 7
students
Collegesand
UniversitiesCommunity
Parents
Administration
CounselorsSubject
AreaTeachers
Tutors
AVIDCoordinator
(AVID ElectiveTeacher)
AVIDSupport
Staff
StudentStudent
Collaborative Support for the Success of Students
Student Connections
Teacher/adult advocate
Supportive peer groups
Community service activities
Extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities
Motivational activities
Career and college exploration
Professional Development
Summer Institute
District Director training
Content area PATH trainings
Tutor training
Regional workshops
Teachers benefit from...
Involvement in a systemic and curricular approach
Initial in-depth staff development and ongoing support in regions and districts Focus on results Accountability Site team work Increased leadership
Effective Instruction by Meta-Analysis
Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 4-7.
examines average effect of 1251 experimental studiesfocuses on instructional strategies with high probability of success for all pupils, K-12, in all subjectsexpresses results as effect size (An effect size of 1 = 34 percentile point gain)
AVID and Classroom Instruction That Works
Classroom Instruction That Works (2001, ASCD) , Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, page 7.
Categories of Instructional Strategies That Affect Student Achievement
Identifying similarities and differences 45%*Summarizing and note-taking 34%Reinforcing effort & providing recognition 29%Homework and practice 28%Nonlinguistic representations 27%Cooperative learning 27%Setting objectives & providing feedback 23%Generating and testing hypotheses 23%Questions, cues, & advance organizers 22%*Increase in achievement (percentile) of the experimental group compared to the control group
Why AVID Works Accelerates under-achieving students into more rigorous courses
Teaches academic skills not targeted in otherclasses
Provides intensive support with in-class tutors and a strong student/teacher relationship
Creates a positive peer group for students
Develops a sense of hope for personal achievement gained through hard work and
determination
AVID Teaches the “Hidden” Curriculum
In AVID students are challenged with rigorous curriculum, but they are also taught:
Leadership SkillsStudy SkillsOrganizational SkillsGoal SettingStudent Success SkillsSocial Skills
AVID Strengthens
Middle school/high school articulation Accountability Comprehensive professional development A district-wide focus on results
How AVID Supports School Wide Change
Builds Partnerships:
•Collaboration with College Board•Partners in state and federal grants•Partners with community organizations•Partners with parents•Partners with counseling programs•Collaboration with college outreach programs
How AVID Supports School Wide ChangeCreates a College Going Culture:
•Site team focused on a college-going culture•College field trips and research projects•College tutors as role models•College going data to guide district plan•Guest speakers•Increased AP and Pre-AP participation, especially for minority students•Implements research based, best instructional practices for all students in the school
The success of AVID persists despite differences in:
school location school ethnic distribution school poverty level
AVID
A student’s perspective
AVID in Texas San Antonio ISD implemented AVID in1997.
In 2008/2009, AVID is in 105 school districts and 2 charter programs, serving approximately 600 campuses.
The Texas AVID program is the second largest in the nation.
AVID is a state approved, innovative elective course with PEIMS numbers for AVID I – IV.
AVID Professional Development trainings have been approved to receive continuing professional development credit by the Texas State Board of Educator Certification.
Data gathered in 2008-09 about AVID’s 2009 seniors. n = 1680
AVID Results in Texas
AVID seniors had a 97.7% graduation rate.
AVID seniors boasted an SAT and/or ACT taking
rate of 86.2%.
91.8% of AVID graduates completed four-year
college entrance requirements.
77.5% of seniors who applied to 4-year collegeand were accepted. (n = 1680)
AVID Growth in Texas
High Schools Implementing AVID 2008-09 246 Sites
Middle SchoolsImplementing AVID2008-09 280 Sites
AVID Growth in Texas
High Schools Implementing AVID
2008-09 23,547 Students
Middle SchoolsImplementing AVID
2008-0918,937 Students
AVID in Texas (2007-08) with AVID 2008-09
AVID Student DemographicsState of Texas Demographics
2008-09 AVID 21% 62% 14% 61.5%
7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade
Reading
Math
Writing
Reading
Math
Social S
t
Reading
Math
Math
English
Science
Social S
t
Math
English
Science
Social S
t
State of TX 88 80 93 95 79 91 87 64 66 89 65 89 80 91 81 95
White 94 90 96 98 89 96 96 80 79 94 81 95 89 96 91 98
Hispanic 83 75 90 92 73 87 81 54 57 85 53 85 73 87 73 93
AfricanAmerican
83 69 91 92 67 87 82 48 50 85 48 82 67 87 69 93
Eco Dis 82 72 89 91 71 86 81 52 55 84 51 83 70 85 70 92
AVID in TX 93 86 96 97 89 95 92 72 74 94 72 95 85 95 84 96
AVID in Texas – TAKS Data
TAKS Performance (% Passing) with Demographic Comparisons: State of Texas vs. AVID in 2007-2008
7th Grade 8th Grade 9th Grade 10th Grade 11th Grade
Reading
Math
Writing
Reading
Math
Social S
t
Reading
Math
Math
English
Science
Social S
t
Math
English
Science
Social S
t
State of TX 88 80 93 95 79 91 87 64 66 89 65 89 80 91 81 95
White 94 90 96 98 89 96 96 80 79 94 81 95 89 96 91 98
Hispanic 83 75 90 92 73 87 81 54 57 85 53 85 73 87 73 93
AfricanAmerican
83 69 91 92 67 87 82 48 50 85 48 82 67 87 69 93
Eco Dis 82 72 89 91 71 86 81 52 55 84 51 83 70 85 70 92
AVID in TX 93 86 96 97 89 95 92 72 74 94 72 95 85 95 84 96
TAKS Performance (% Passing) with Demographic Comparisons: State of Texas vs. AVID in 2007-2008
AVID in Texas – College Readiness IndicatorsPercent of Graduates in 2006-2007
2006-2007 State of Texas
2006-2007 AVID in
Texas
AVID Results in Texas
In August of
2007,
Northside ISD,
in San Antonio,
implemented
AVID at the
middle school
level.
AVID Results in Texas
In just one year,
Northside AVID
students have
shown
tremendous
gains in the
number of
students scoring
“Commended”
on the TAKS
Reading Test.
AVID Center Data Collection System, 2006-2007Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent
AVID Graduates Nationally
99% plan to enroll in a college or university
69% plan to enroll in a four-year university
30% plan to enroll in a two-year college
59% of parents had no college level experience
Using High School Allotment Funds
Section 39.114 High School Allotment states that districts and campuses must use funds to:
Implement college readiness programs to prepare underachieving students for college
Implement programs that encourage students toward advanced academic opportunities, such as dual credit and AP
Implement programs that give students opportunities to take academically rigorous course work, including four years of math and science
Using High School Allotment Funds
Section 39.114 High School Allotment states that districts and campuses must use funds to:
Implement programs that align the curriculum for grades 6 through 12 with postsecondary curriculum
Implement other high school completion and success initiatives in grades 6 through 12 as approved by the commissioner
AVID meets ALL HB1 requirements
See projected AVID program cost handout
AVID: The CostOne-time Costs:
AVID LibraryDistrict Director training (over a 2-year period)
Ongoing Costs:College tutorsAVID membership feesSummer Institute registration and travelContinuing professional development
AVID Support
AVID: The SupportRegional trainings and meetings:
Tutor TrainingsCoordinator/Elective Teacher Meetings and Professional DevelopmentAdministrator/Counselor Meetings and Professional DevelopmentDistrict Director Meetings
Yearly Curriculum Updates
State District Director Meetings
Regional PATH Trainings
All reports are available on the Texas AVID Website at: http://avid.panam.edu
Texas AVID ResearchWatt, Yanez, & Cossio (2003): AVID: A Comprehensive School Reform
Model for Texas. National Forum Journal
Watt, Powell & Mendiola (2004): Implications of One Comprehensive School Reform Model for Secondary School Students
Underrepresented in Higher Education. JESPAR.
Watt, Powell, Memdiola & Cossio (2006): School-wide Impact and AVID: How Have Selected Texa High Schools Addressed the New
Accountability Measure? JESPAR.
Watt, Huerta & Cossio, 2004. Leadership and Comprehensive School Reform: Implementation of AVID in Four South Texas Border Schools. The Catalyst.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Culture and Commitment, Margaret Mead, 1996
Contact Information:
Eileen Friou State [email protected]
Patrick Briggs Assistant State [email protected]
Dr. Betty Krohn Program [email protected]
Ben Solomon Program [email protected]
AVID Texas State Office Phone: 972-591-2550