Exploring the Efficacy of the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) Program at Promoting Student Motivation

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program was founded by Mary Katherine Swanson in 1980 in Southern California. She created the program as a social justice initiative to provide additional resources to her students of marginalized backgrounds (e.g., low socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic backgrounds) to prepare them to graduate high school and be accepted into colleges. Decades later, the AVID program is nationwide, but there is only one school district in Mississippi with this program that is founded on the roots of equity. In this specific school district located in Northern Mississippi, the AVID program is available in elementary, middle, and high schools. This study analyzes the effectiveness of the 7th-8th grade middle school AVID program, and answers the research question, ‘To what extent does AVID promote motivation to the 7th-8th graders who have chosen to participate in the AVID elective?’ The research enacted in this study will analyze student motivation through Ryan and Deci’s Self-Determination Theory, which identifies intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, self- determination, and the promotion of student autonomy. The study found that out of 56 students, all showed a positive correlation with AVID’s efficacy in promoting their intrinsic motivation, community involvement, preparation for college and careers, and their self-determination. This study is crucial to students of lower socioeconomic classes, students of historically marginalized backgrounds (e.g., Black, Latinx), and students who are in the ‘academic middle’, meaning they are typically C- average students who need additional resources to succeed. In the context of Mississippi, where many students do not participate in college preparatory programs, such as AP courses, this research can be used to promote the efficacy of all students through an additional support system such as AVID, which prepares students for AP exams, college, and real-world issues.