Date of Award

Summer 6-12-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Executive Ed.D. in Education Leadership Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Luke Stedrak, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Christopher Tienken, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Jan Furman, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Gerald Hill, Ph.D.

Keywords

AVID, Michigan Merit Exam, ACT, Advanced Placement, College Readiness

Abstract

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) curriculum emphasizes writing, collaboration, organization, and reading to strengthen academic skills. High school students enrolled in AVID elective classes receive daily academic support, while enrolled in challenging classes such as Advanced Placement (AP). The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of Academic High School students’ participation in the AVID college readiness system and students’ academic achievement using multiple measures, including the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) state assessment, the American College Test (ACT) college readiness assessment, the Advanced Placement (AP) program, and grade point average (GPA). Vroom’s (1964) expectancy theory comprised the theoretical framework for this study. A longitudinal, correlational design used previously collected data from three cohorts of graduates (2012‒13, 2013‒14, and 2014‒15) to determine the effect of students’ participation in AVID based on the selected academic indicators. Students enrolled in the AVID program and a control group in each cohort were matched on grade, gender, socioeconomic status and compared on the academic indicators. Findings confirmed that although students in the AVID group showed slightly higher student achievement scores in ACT English assessment, Number of AP English courses, and GPA, no statistically significant differences were found for ACT English and reading tests, AP English and mathematics courses, or senior GPA. Based on analysis of findings in this study, the AVID program did not positively influence student achievement at Academic High School. The school district must carefully weigh the associated costs and benefits of the AVID program while considering the recommendations in this study for practice and/or policy.

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