The California State Senate declares the week of June 15 as AVID Week, recognizing AVID’s longstanding commitment to expanding access, opportunity, and student success across California. More than 418,000 students in over 2,000 California schools currently participate in AVID, reflecting the program’s deep and enduring impact on communities statewide. Senate Resolution 114 is introduced by Senator Roger Niello during AVID’s visit to the Capitol, with co-authors Senate Education Committee Chair Sasha Renée Pérez, Senate Education Committee Vice Chair Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, Senator Steven Choi, and Senator Melissa Hurtado.
“I am thrilled to welcome the passionate students and AVID supporters to the State Capitol,” said Senator Roger Niello. “AVID is a powerful tool for ensuring that students develop the skills and beliefs they need to excel in a rapidly evolving world, and I am encouraged to see so many students who are interested in sharing AVID’s impact with legislators.”
The resolution coincides with AVID Day at the Capitol, June 18, which will bring together students, educators, AVID Board members, and AVID Center staff to highlight the skills, agency, and aspirations that define the AVID experience. During the Senate floor session, AVID participants will be recognized from the Senate gallery, underscoring the collective effort behind student success and the importance of intentional systems of support that help students persist, grow, and prepare for their futures.
“This recognition from the California State Senate honors the collective work happening every day in classrooms and communities across California,” said AVID President and CEO Dr. Thuan Nguyen. “We are grateful to Senator Roger Niello, Senate Education Committee Chair Sasha Renee Perez, Vice Chair Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, and the resolution’s co-authors for recognizing the dedication of AVID educators and the achievements of AVID students statewide. Every day, teachers, counselors, administrators, and school leaders help students see new possibilities for themselves, persist through challenges, and prepare for college, careers, and leadership.”
AVID’s roots in California run deep. The program was founded at Clairemont High School in San Diego by English teacher Mary Catherine Swanson, who believed that students with potential thrive when educators commit to high expectations and meaningful support. What began in a single classroom has grown into a statewide and global movement grounded in that same belief.
Since its founding, 3.65 million students have been enrolled in the AVID Elective and AVID Elementary, and an additional 7.08 million students have been taught by AVID trained educators across subject areas. Today, AVID is implemented in more than 7,400 K–12 schools across the United States, as well as in Washington, D.C., the Department of Defense Education Activity, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, and Australia.
California remains central to AVID’s impact. The state is home to more than 418,000 AVID students across more than 2,000 AVID sites, supported by more than 37,000 AVID trained teachers, administrators, and counselors. California also includes more than 60 AVID National Demonstration Schools that model effective, equitable practices for student success.
Outcomes reflect this collective commitment. In 2025, nine out of ten AVID seniors in California were college and career ready, and 92 percent planned to attend either a two or four-year college.
AVID’s impact across California is also reflected in the leaders shaping education policy today. A number of California legislators and legislative staff are AVID alumni who experienced firsthand the power of high expectations, skill development, and supportive systems. Their journeys from AVID classrooms to public service underscore how AVID prepares students not only for college and career, but for civic leadership, and how that impact comes full circle through policies and partnerships that continue to expand opportunity statewide.
The declaration of AVID Week affirms the role educators, students, and communities play in advancing opportunity across California. Together, AVID and its partners continue to strengthen pathways that help students develop the skills, confidence, and agency needed to succeed in school and beyond.