AVID Standards to Evidence Guide
South Kitsap High School • AVID Schoolwide
AVID Schoolwide: From Standards to Evidence
9–12 Essential Standards • Learning Progressions • CFAs • Data Protocols
Instructional Framework
Working Draft 2026–27
Purpose: Create a common AVID-aligned language for what students should know and be able to do, how we will measure those skills, and how we will use evidence to improve instruction across the school. This framework supports AVID Elective fidelity while extending core practices into schoolwide PLC and school-improvement workflows.
The Three Core AVID Student Outcome Domains
CCR Alignment
1. Rigorous Academic Preparedness (RAP)
Academic skills required to successfully complete rigorous college- and career-preparatory curriculum and advanced coursework.
WICOR • Critical Thinking • Literacy • Rigor
2. Opportunity Knowledge (OK)
Research opportunities, set goals, make informed choices, and proactively navigate transitions toward long-term postsecondary aspirations.
College & Career Planning • Financial Literacy • Pathways
3. Student Agency (SA)
Activate potential, build academic relationships, persist through obstacles, and apply social, emotional, and professional self-advocacy.
Ownership • Self-Advocacy • Persistence • Relational Capacity
SKHS Essential Standards Design Principles
Implementation Tenets
1
High-Leverage Transferable Skills: Prioritize high-impact cognitive competencies over turning every standalone activity into an isolated standard.
2
Common Cross-Disciplinary Language: Standardize skill terms across Elective, core content areas, counseling, and department PLC cycles.
3
Developmental Progression (9→12): Scaffold student independence and cognitive depth deliberately as students advance through high school.
4
Authentic Application Over Trivia: Measure students' ability to execute strategies within rigorous academic tasks, not memorize vocabulary.
5
Common Evidence with Discipline Autonomy: Rely on common performance indicators to diagnose instructional needs while empowering teachers to craft content-specific lessons.
Cognitive Rigor: Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) in AVID
Levels 1 – 4 Progression
| DOK Level | Cognitive Process & Descriptor | Exemplar Application in AVID Contexts |
|---|
| DOK 1: Recall | Recall facts or execute simple procedures | Identify an appropriate study strategy from a reference list. |
| DOK 2: Skills | Apply a skill, make decisions, explain relationships | Select a specific Cornell note strategy and explain how it matches the task. |
| DOK 3: Strategic | Reasoning, multi-step justification, evidence analysis | Evaluate whether a chosen study strategy improved performance using evidence. |
| DOK 4: Extended | Complex synthesis over time, contextual transfer | Develop, implement, assess, and adapt an individual 4-year success roadmap. |
Site Team Alignment: Anchored in the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework and Secondary Implementation Tool.
Rigor • Breaking Barriers • Aligning Systems • Advocating
Essential Standards & Learning Progressions
Rigorous Academic Preparedness (RAP)
Domain: RAP
Standards RAP 1 – RAP 4
RAP 1 Academic Strategies & Learning
Select, apply, evaluate, and transfer learning strategies
Student Prerequisites: Students can follow basic classroom directions, identify the task or learning goal, access common classroom resources, and reflect at a basic level on what helps them learn. These are entry points, not mastery requirements; teachers can model and scaffold them as needed.
| Band / Target | Learning Target ("I Can" Statement) | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Gr. 9: Establish | I can identify an appropriate strategy for a challenging task and explain how to use it. | 1–2 | Names a relevant strategy; uses it correctly; can describe the basic purpose. |
| Gr. 10: Apply | I can select and apply a strategy based on the demands of the task. | 2 | Chooses an appropriate strategy; applies it with decreasing teacher support; explains choice. |
| Gr. 11: Evaluate | I can evaluate whether a strategy was effective and adjust my approach. | 3 | Uses evidence of learning/performance; identifies what worked; makes a specific adjustment. |
| Gr. 12: Transfer | I can independently select, adapt, and transfer strategies to unfamiliar or increasingly rigorous tasks. | 3–4 | Justifies the strategy; adapts when needed; transfers the approach to a new context. |
RAP 2 Critical Thinking & Academic Questioning
Analyze information, generate questions, use evidence, justify conclusions
Student Prerequisites: Students can identify key information in a text, problem, demonstration, or discussion; distinguish a question from a statement; and explain an idea in their own words. Sentence frames and examples may support students before they independently generate higher-level questions.
| Band | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grades 9–10 | I can ask and answer questions that move beyond recall and use evidence to explain my thinking. | 2–3 | Question requires explanation/application; response includes relevant evidence and reasoning. |
| Grades 11–12 | I can generate, evaluate, and respond to Level II/III questions that require analysis, evaluation, or synthesis. | 3–4 | Question is genuinely complex; evidence is relevant; reasoning connects evidence to conclusion. |
RAP 3 Academic Communication & Collaboration
Communicate clearly, listen actively, build on others' thinking
Student Prerequisites: Students can listen to a speaker, share a relevant idea, follow basic discussion norms, and work with a partner or group for a short task. Modeling may be needed for turn-taking, respectful disagreement, paraphrasing, and building on another person's ideas.
| Band | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grades 9–10 | I can contribute relevant ideas, ask clarifying questions, and use academic language in collaborative tasks. | 2 | Contributes prepared thinking; listens; asks relevant questions; paraphrases or builds on a peer. |
| Grades 11–12 | I can facilitate or participate in academic discourse that challenges and extends thinking. | 3 | Uses evidence; responds directly to others; respectfully challenges/builds; deepens understanding. |
RAP 4 Organization & Self-Management
Organize materials, manage time, and sustain academic routines
Student Prerequisites: Students can identify assignments and due dates, keep or access basic materials, follow a simple checklist, and recognize when a task is complete or incomplete. Students may need an externally provided organizational system before managing one independently.
| Band | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grade 9 | I can use a system to organize materials, assignments, and deadlines. | 2 | System is complete, current, and used consistently. |
| Grade 10 | I can prioritize tasks and manage time to meet academic deadlines. | 2–3 | Identifies priorities; creates a realistic plan; meets or revises deadlines. |
| Grades 11–12 | I can independently monitor workload, anticipate barriers, and adjust systems to maintain success. | 3 | Uses evidence to monitor progress; proactively adjusts; explains why the system works. |
Essential Standards & Learning Progressions
Opportunity Knowledge (OK)
Domain: OK
Standards OK 1 & OK 2
Domain Focus: Opportunity Knowledge equips students with the research skills, financial literacy, and goal-setting stamina needed to navigate complex college and career systems, align personal interests with postsecondary pathways, and successfully execute post-high school transitions.
OK 1 Postsecondary & Career Pathway Knowledge
Research, compare, and evaluate postsecondary & career pathways
Student Prerequisites: Students can name an interest, strength, or possible future goal; use a guided search or provided resource to locate information; and identify basic facts such as program, job, or school requirements. Prior knowledge of postsecondary terminology should not be assumed.
| Grade | Learning Target ("I Can" Statement) | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grade 9 | I can identify multiple pathways connected to my interests and explain basic requirements. | 1–2 | Identifies at least two plausible pathways and accurately describes key requirements. |
| Grade 10 | I can research and compare opportunities using relevant academic, career, and financial criteria. | 2–3 | Uses credible sources; compares multiple criteria; identifies advantages and trade-offs. |
| Grade 11 | I can evaluate opportunities for fit and identify the steps required to pursue them. | 3 | Uses evidence to determine fit; identifies requirements, deadlines, costs/resources, and next steps. |
| Grade 12 | I can independently navigate unfamiliar systems and make informed postsecondary/career decisions. | 3–4 | Locates needed information; verifies requirements; makes and justifies an informed decision. |
OK 2 Goal Setting, Planning & Transition
Establish goals, develop action plans, monitor progress
Student Prerequisites: Students can identify a short-term goal, describe a desired outcome, follow a sequence of steps, and recognize a deadline or checkpoint. Students may need support making goals specific and measurable, estimating time, and identifying resources or barriers.
| Progression | Learning Target ("I Can" Statement) | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grade 9 | I can set a specific academic or personal goal and identify actions that will move me toward it. | 2 | Goal is specific; actions are realistic; timeline and evidence of progress are identified. |
| Grade 10 | I can create a measurable goal plan and monitor my progress. | 2–3 | Uses milestones/checkpoints; documents progress; identifies support and resources. |
| Grade 11 | I can evaluate progress toward a long-term goal and adjust my plan when circumstances change. | 3 | Uses evidence; identifies barriers; makes specific, realistic plan adjustments. |
| Grade 12 | I can independently create and execute a transition plan for my next step after high school. | 3–4 | Plan includes requirements, timeline, resources, contingencies, and evidence of readiness. |
Schoolwide Connection: College/career planning • Financial literacy • Pathway exploration • Senior portfolios
Guidance & Advisory Integration
Essential Standards & Learning Progressions
Student Agency (SA)
Domain: SA
Standards SA 1, SA 2 & SA 3
Domain Focus: Student Agency empowers learners to take ownership of decisions, build productive relational networks, communicate needs clearly, and persist through setbacks using reflection to guide continuous personal and academic growth.
SA 1 Ownership, Self-Advocacy & Help-Seeking
Recognize strengths & needs, communicate, seek support
Student Prerequisites: Students can recognize when they are confused or need support, identify a trusted adult or available resource, and communicate a basic question or request. Sentence starters and examples may help students identify and ask for the support they need.
| Progression | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grades 9–10 | I can identify what I need to be successful and appropriately ask for help. | 2 | Clearly identifies need; selects an appropriate person/resource; communicates the request. |
| Grade 11 | I can advocate for myself, communicate my needs, and use available resources to solve problems. | 3 | Uses specific evidence; proposes a solution; follows through; evaluates the result. |
| Grade 12 | I can independently navigate systems, advocate for myself, and obtain the resources needed to achieve my goals. | 3–4 | Identifies barriers; initiates communication; persists appropriately; documents outcome. |
SA 2 Persistence, Problem Solving & Reflection
Respond productively to setbacks, identify solutions, reflect
Student Prerequisites: Students can describe a challenge or setback, identify a possible next step, and reflect on what happened. Structured choices and coaching may help students consider multiple solutions, use evidence, seek support, and adjust after an unsuccessful attempt.
| Progression | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grades 9–10 | I can identify an obstacle and choose a productive next step. | 2 | Names obstacle; identifies at least one strategy/resource; takes action. |
| Grade 11 | I can analyze a setback, develop multiple possible responses, and select a productive course of action. | 3 | Analyzes cause; considers options; selects and justifies response. |
| Grade 12 | I can independently adapt when a plan fails and use reflection to improve future decisions. | 3–4 | Uses evidence from outcome; changes approach; articulates a transferable lesson. |
SA 3 Relationships & Learning Community
Build relationships and participate in academic communities
Student Prerequisites: Students can use basic respectful communication, listen while another person speaks, participate in a paired or group activity, and identify a peer or adult who can support learning. Norms and scaffolds may be needed for active listening, constructive feedback, and navigating disagreement.
| Progression | Learning Target | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Grades 9–10 | I can contribute respectfully, listen actively, and build relationships that support learning. | 2 | Uses respectful communication; listens; contributes; identifies supportive adults/peers. |
| Grades 11–12 | I can intentionally build and use a network of relationships to support learning, opportunities, and goals. | 3 | Initiates relationships; communicates purposefully; gives/receives feedback; uses network appropriately. |
Schoolwide Assessment Architecture
2. Common Formative Assessments (CFAs)
Formative Bank
Transferable Skill Tasks 1 – 5
Recommendation for Practice: Administer short, task-embedded assessment items rather than comprehensive stand-alone tests. Assess transferable cognitive moves in authentic classroom tasks and tag each item directly to an essential learning target to inform PLC inquiry.
CFA 1 — Academic Strategy & Reflection RAP 1 Alignment
| Assessment Prompt / Task Item | Target Alignment | DOK | Evidence of Student Proficiency |
|---|
| 1. Describe a recent challenging academic task. What strategy did you choose? | RAP 1: Select strategy | 2 | Names a strategy that matches the task and describes how it was used. |
| 2. Why was that strategy appropriate for the task? | RAP 1: Justify strategy selection | 2–3 | Connects strategy to task demands rather than giving a generic reason. |
| 3. What evidence shows whether the strategy helped you learn or perform? | RAP 1: Evaluate effectiveness | 3 | Uses specific evidence such as accuracy, feedback, understanding, or performance. |
| 4. What would you keep, change, or try next time? Why? | RAP 1: Adjust/transfer strategy | 3 | Makes a specific adjustment supported by evidence. |
CFA 2 — Critical Thinking / WICOR Task RAP 2 & RAP 3 Alignment
| Assessment Prompt / Task Item | Target Alignment | DOK | Evidence of Student Proficiency |
|---|
| 1. Read the provided content and identify the central problem/idea. | RAP 2: Analyze information | 2 | Accurately identifies the central idea/problem. |
| 2. Write one Level II or III question that would deepen understanding. | RAP 2: Generate complex questions | 3 | Question requires analysis, evaluation, synthesis, or application—not recall. |
| 3. Answer your question using at least two pieces of evidence. | RAP 2: Use evidence/reasoning | 3 | Evidence is relevant and reasoning explains its significance. |
| 4. Respond to or build on a peer's thinking. | RAP 3: Academic communication | 3 | Accurately represents peer idea and adds/challenges with evidence or reasoning. |
CFA 3 — Opportunity Knowledge Decision OK 1 & 2
1. Pathway Research (DOK 2): Uses credible sources to research and record requirements for two options.
2. Comparison (DOK 3): Evaluates options using ≥4 criteria (fit, cost, location, outcomes, supports).
3. Fit Decision (DOK 3): Decision is explicitly supported by evidence, not preference alone.
4. Actionable Steps (DOK 3): Identifies 3 sequenced, actionable next steps including deadlines.
CFA 4 — Student Agency: Setback Scenario SA 1 & 2
1. Diagnostic (DOK 2): Identifies useful information needed rather than externalizing blame.
2. Help-Seeking (DOK 2–3): Identifies resource/person and writes specific request for support.
3. Action Plan (DOK 3): Formulates realistic two-step plan targeting the root cause.
4. Adaptation (DOK 3–4): Provides plausible backup and explains how evidence guides next steps.
CFA 5 — Goal, Action Plan & Reflection OK 2, SA 2 & RAP 1 Alignment
| Plan Component | Target Alignment | DOK | Observable Success Criteria |
|---|
| Goal | OK 2: Establish meaningful goal | 2 | Specific, measurable, connected to longer-term aspiration. |
| Action plan | OK 2: Develop plan | 2–3 | Actions, timeline, resources, and checkpoints are clearly identified. |
| Obstacle/contingency | SA 2: Anticipate barriers | 3 | Likely obstacle identified with a realistic, actionable response. |
| Progress evidence | SA 1/2: Monitor and reflect | 3 | Defines evidence showing progress and a routine process for checking it. |
Collaborative Inquiry Cycles
3. Data Protocols & Response Architecture
PLC Protocols
Protocols A, B, C & Dashboard
Continuous Improvement Commitment: The purpose of AVID data conversations is not to categorize or label students; it is to diagnose which cognitive skills students have mastered, where instructional clarity must increase, and what specific teaching interventions teams will deploy next.
Protocol A — Learning Target Data Inquiry Cycle 5-Step PLC Structure
| Cycle Phase | Guiding Team Question | Tangible Team Product / Deliverable |
|---|
| 1. Identify | Which learning targets were assessed? What percentage demonstrated proficiency? | Common data display organized by learning target. |
| 2. Notice | What patterns stand out? Which targets are strengths and needs? | 2–3 evidence-based observations without premature judgment. |
| 3. Diagnose | What explains the pattern? Knowledge, strategy, practice, access, or task design? | 1–2 validated root hypotheses selected for instructional response. |
| 4. Respond | What will we explicitly teach, model, practice, or scaffold? | Instructional response plan with responsible person and timeline. |
| 5. Reassess | Did the response improve performance? What evidence do we have? | Post-assessment comparison data and scheduled next step. |
Protocol B — Four-Quadrant Multi-Tiered Student Support Instructional Decision Grid
Independent • Skill Demonstrated
EXTEND
Increase complexity, transfer, leadership, or independent application across disciplines.
Independent • Skill Not Yet Demonstrated
INTERVENE
Provide explicit instruction, teacher modeling, and deliberate guided practice.
With Support • Skill Demonstrated
SCAFFOLD
Identify what support can gradually be removed to build autonomous mastery.
With Support • Skill Not Yet Demonstrated
INTENSIVE SUPPORT
Determine prerequisite skill, barrier, or access need; coordinate intervention supports.
Protocol C: Student Work Calibration Anchor Review
1. Independent: Score/annotate silently using common success criteria.
2. Calibrate: Compare ratings and identify evidence where interpretations differ.
3. Name Move: Identify what specific instructional move advances the work one level.
4. Apply: Embed calibrated criteria into the next common assessment task.
Schoolwide Dashboard Core Metrics
CFA Target Proficiency: Quarterly review by department PLCs.
Student Agency Survey: Fall → Spring perceptions of ownership and help-seeking.
Advanced Rigor Access: Equitable enrollment in AP/Dual-Credit/Honors.
Transition Evidence: Grade 12 milestone checks and postsecondary plans.
Action Plan & Strategic Alignment
4. Implementation Roadmap & Leadership Next Steps
Site Action Plan
Year 1 Rollout (2026–27)
First-Year Implementation Cycle for SKHS Manageable Phased Milestones
| Timeline | Strategic Team Action | Concrete Milestone Deliverable |
|---|
| Fall 2026 | Agree on 3–4 priority essential standards and common language. | Site Team–approved standards/learning targets. |
| Fall 2026 | Identify one common CFA per AVID outcome; pilot in AVID and selected schoolwide settings. | CFA bank with learning-target tags and common rubric. |
| Winter 2027 | Calibrate student work and examine first data set. | Shared proficiency expectations + instructional response. |
| Spring 2027 | Repeat selected CFAs and compare growth. | Evidence of student growth and implementation impact. |
| Spring 2027 | Use evidence to identify next year's schoolwide AVID/SIP priority. | One measurable AVID-aligned improvement goal. |
Proposed Proficiency Scale Mastery Descriptors
| Level | Performance Descriptor | Observable Student Evidence |
|---|
| 4: Transfer | Independently applies the skill in an unfamiliar/complex context. | Justifies, adapts, transfers, and reflects. |
| 3: Proficient | Independently demonstrates the skill in the expected context. | Meets all essential success criteria with appropriate evidence. |
| 2: Developing | Demonstrates the skill with prompting, scaffolding, or partial accuracy. | Some success; needs targeted practice or support. |
| 1: Beginning | Does not yet demonstrate the skill consistently. | Requires explicit instruction, modeling, and/or prerequisite support. |
Feedback Survey Possible Questions for Next Tuesday's PD Site Team Listening Tool
1. Clarity: How clearly do you understand the three AVID outcomes: RAP, OK, and Student Agency?
2. Schoolwide Priority: Which AVID skill do you believe our students most need to develop schoolwide?
3. Assessment Value: Which essential standard(s) would be most valuable to assess consistently?
4. Promising Practice: What AVID practice are you already using that other teachers could benefit from?
5. Practical CFAs: What would make a common formative assessment useful rather than 'one more thing'?
6. PLC Data Utility: What student data would be most useful for our Site Team/PLC conversations?
7. Next Action: What is one action you recommend we take next?
Leadership Takeaway: AVID provides a framework for college and career readiness. Our opportunity at SKHS is to translate that framework into a small set of observable, assessable student skills and then use evidence to improve the learning experience. The goal is not to make every classroom 'an AVID classroom.' The goal is to reduce variability in the skills students need to be successful while allowing teachers to teach and assess those skills authentically within their disciplines.
Reference Note: Primary alignment sources: AVID CCR Framework & Secondary Implementation Tool (2026–27).
South Kitsap High School • Site Team Working Draft
