Advancement Via Individual Determination is an educational movement that began in California in the school year 1979-80. The founder was a lady named Mary Catherine Swanson who basically designed the AVID program on the fly. As problems arose, she found solutions and as these solutions proved successful, she continued to improve and initiate new strategies for success. If you ever have the time and want a great book to read about education, check with me in the AVID classroom and I will check you out a copy of "Wall of Fame". This book details the beginning of AVID and it's success story.

AVID is a nationwide movement and is led by former Texas Commissioner of Education Jim Nelson who is the Chief Executive Officer of AVID in the United States. Five years ago the state of Texas only had seven school districts implementing AVID.Currently there are more than 100 districts with this program and it continues to grow. Texas is included in the Central United States Region.

In the picture above, I am at a District Director's training with my friend and colleague Ron Raglin who is the District Director of Chicago's Public School System. Mr. Raglin oversees approximately 40,000 students while I oversee approximately 40 students. Chicago is the largest urban district in the United States with AVID as a student elective course. At the time of the picture Comanche was one of the smallest if not the smallest district in Texas implementing AVID.

AVID is such a universal educational initiative that no matter the size of the district, the same strategies apply. I learned so much from Mr. Raglin who is a 20 year veteran of AVID. My training cohort included directors from some of the largest districts in Texas as well as from other states as far away as South Carolina. AVID prides itself in establishing a family atmosphere and I definitely felt that each time that I departed another training.