Avid Participation in High School and Post-Secondary Success: An Evaluation and Cost Analysis
Todhunter-Reid, Abigail; Burke, Amanda; Houchens, Paul; Howard, Mark (2020). Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, v13 n4 p679-701. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1275427
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examining10,397Students, grades9-PS
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2021
- Single Study Review (findings for Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a quasi-experimental design in which the analytic intervention and comparison groups satisfy the baseline equivalence requirement.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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College enrollment- fall after high school graduation |
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) vs. Business as usual |
3 Months |
Full sample;
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59.90 |
56.40 |
Yes |
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|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
High School Graduation |
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
93.90 |
90.50 |
Yes |
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|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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35% English language learners -
Female: 51%
Male: 49% -
Urban
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Florida
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Race Black 55% Other or unknown 33% White 12% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 29% Not Hispanic or Latino 71%
Study Details
Setting
The study was conducted with students in 9th through 12th grades in public high schools in Palm Beach County, Florida. The students in the intervention group were nominated either by teachers, principals, or themselves to participate in the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and then enrolled in at least one but up to four, full-year intervention courses between 9th and 12th grade.
Study sample
The study sample included 10,397 students: 1,157 students who enrolled in AVID and 9,240 matched comparison students. Most students in the study sample were Black (55%) and eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (79%). About half (51%) were female and over a quarter (29%) were Hispanic. Over three-quarters (79%) were eligible for free/reduced price meals.
Intervention Group
The AVID program consists of a set of four year-long elective courses that are designed to be taken in order, over 9th through 12th grade. Students may also take the first course in any of the four years and may take up to four AVID courses as long as they are taken in sequence. The AVID courses are meant to be rigorous and increasing in rigor over the years, and incorporate active and cooperative learning approaches, with twice weekly tutorials in which students work collaboratively on English language arts and mathematics problems. College is often discussed, and the classrooms are decorated with symbols and paraphernalia related to colleges. The courses also include training in study skills such as academic notetaking and organization.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison condition attended high schools in the same school district and during the same time frame as students in the intervention condition; however, the students were not enrolled in AVID classes.
Support for implementation
Support for implementation included the AVID Summer Institute training for school personnel, mobile whiteboards, and the AVID Library Package, and annual membership fees. Two district personnel managed the AVID program and training, and two additional administrators played support roles. Tutors were hired to facilitate twice-weekly AVID tutorials.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
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A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
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A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
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Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).