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In Action

February 2026

Recruitment that works. A teacher’s renewed purpose. Moments worth celebrating—discover the stories of AVID in Action this month.

What Works:

Inside a Proven AVID Recruitment and Retention Model

A group of AVID students holding hands in a human knot.

Salem‑Keizer Public Schools is nearly doubling national middle school retention rates and tripling high school persistence. Discover how aligned feeder patterns, barrier removal, and strong student agency are driving remarkable results in this diverse Oregon district.

Read the full story

Podcast:

How Intentional Lesson Design Helped One Teacher Rebuild Joy and Student Engagement

The AVID Certified Educator (ACE) experience helped English teacher Tracie McMurray expand her instructional practice in powerful new ways. In this podcast episode, she shares how developing clearer learning goals, designing with greater intention, and elevating student voice transformed her classroom and sharpened her impact as an educator.

Listen to Tracie’s story now.

Become an AVID Certified Educator; applications reopen March 9–27.

Put it into practice: 5 Tips for Making Lessons More Engaging and Effective.

New Research:

Revealing the Impact of AVID Excel^® and AVID Elementary

Independent studies on AVID Elementary and AVID Excel^® offer fresh evidence of how these programs drive strong student outcomes. New white papers highlight what effective implementation looks like and the conditions that help schools make the biggest impact.

View the key findings

Celebrating Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, National Superintendent of the Year

🎉 AVID proudly congratulates Dr. Roosevelt Nivens, Superintendent of Lamar CISD (TX), on being named the AASA 2026 National Superintendent of the Year. This national recognition highlights the powerful results that are possible when a district aligns vision, systems, and people around student readiness. By embedding AVID into Lamar CISD’s Advanced Academics strategy, Dr. Nivens has expanded access to rigorous learning and strengthened the support educators need to help students thrive.

🎉 We also celebrate finalists Dr. Demetrus Liggins (Fayette County Public Schools, KY) and Dr. Sonja Santelises (Baltimore City Public Schools, MD). Together, these leaders exemplify what strong, intentional systems can accomplish for students and schools nationwide.

New Year Starts Now

AVID Summer Institute ^TM registration is now open! With 11 locations nationwide—including our Marquee event in Kansas City, Missouri, and SI Pop‑Up™ offerings hosted on college campuses in South Bend, Indiana, and Norfolk, Virginia—your perfect place to learn and connect is waiting.

Not traveling this summer? AVID Virtual Live™ has you covered.

Explore professional learning

Nominations Now Open!

The AVID Global Achievement Awards honor educators who embody the AVID mission and create a powerful, positive impact for students. If someone in your world fits that description, now is the time to nominate them for the 2026 awards.

Looking for inspiration? Take a moment to revisit our 2025 Global Achievement Award winners and the incredible work they’re leading.