Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Avid Program Expansion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
MNPS highlights AVID expansion and student outcomes; two local principals named national finalists
Summary
District AVID coordinator Joe Kelly told the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board that AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) has expanded across the district, serves thousands of students, and is linked to higher GPAs and college enrollment rates. Two MNPS principals were named finalists for national AVID awards.
The Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education received an update on the district’s AVID program on May 20, with AVID coordinator Dr. Joe Kelly reporting program growth, outcome data and national recognition for district staff.
Dr. Kelly said AVID—Advancement Via Individual Determination—uses schoolwide strategies in elementary grades and elective courses in middle and high school to teach writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading, which the program calls WICOR. “In terms of that AVID elective class, we have 5,600 students that get the direct benefit of it,” Kelly said (Dr. Joe Kelly, AVID coordinator, MNPS). He added that AVID’s district reach currently includes 66 MNPS schools and that 19 additional schools will be added in the coming summer.
Kelly shared outcome data the district has tracked: AVID students’ GPAs are about 19% higher than their non‑AVID peers, and AVID students are roughly 14 percentage points more likely to enroll directly in college after high school. The district also noted that since 2002 it has sent more than 1,300 MNPS educators to AVID’s summer institute and that 450 educators are scheduled to attend this coming summer.
The presentation included recognition: Dr. Kelly announced two AVID Global Achievement Award finalists from MNPS—Dr. Trelany Lane, principal of IT Cresswell Middle School, and Tiffany Adwaters of Schwab Elementary. Dr. Kelly and other board speakers praised the finalists for their work bringing AVID strategies to students.
Why this matters: The district presented AVID as a large-scale academic and college-readiness strategy with measurable outcomes and continuing investment in staff training. Board members were urged to continue funding staffing, training and implementation as the program expands.
