Curtis Elementary named AVID National Demonstration School; district leaders, AVID praise classroom implementation

Curtis Elementary School was recognized May 20 by the Rialto Unified School District as an AVID National Demonstration School after a multi-year validation process that included classroom observations and interviews.

An AVID Western Division official told the board that the designation follows a demanding four-step validation and in-person walkthroughs that confirmed the program is embedded across classrooms. "The work that is done day in and day out is absolutely commended," said Terry Vegan Hagen, AVID Western Division program manager.

District leaders said the designation will position Curtis as a model site for educators. Board discussion and the superintendent’s remarks emphasized that the designation recognizes schoolwide instructional strategies, restorative practices, and family partnerships that supported higher attendance and progress on district goals.

Why it matters: As a national demonstration site, Curtis will serve as a site for other educators to observe AVID strategies in authentic classroom settings. The designation also brings visibility to the district’s elementary-level efforts to increase college and career readiness.

What leaders said: District remarks noted that Curtis maintains attendance rates above 90% and reported a drop in chronic absenteeism to about 9.9% — numbers presented during the school’s state-of-school remarks. "This is a prestigious achievement," said a district presenter recounting the April validation visit.

Next steps: The school will keep the designation through the 2029–30 school year and may reapply at the appropriate renewal point; district staff said they expect to support peer visits and share best practices across Rialto Unified.