New Partnership Will Support More Than 70,000 Educators In Bringing Coding And Robotics Into The Classroom

AVID, one of the country's largest providers of professional learning, teams up with robotics pioneer Wonder Workshop to meet school demand for computer science and STEM

San Diego, CA /PRNewswire/ - National nonprofit AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), developer of the college-readiness system now used by more than 6,400 schools across the U.S., today announced a collaboration with Wonder Workshop to provide educators with the training, knowledge, and skills necessary to bring state-of-the-art coding and robotics into classrooms.

Today, 42 percent of principals cite inadequate training as a barrier to expanding computer science offerings within their schools. AVID's partnership with Wonder Workshop is designed to make it easier for schools and districts to access the tools and professional learning needed to effectively teach coding and robotics.

"Coding and robotics provide an exciting opportunity for AVID educators to integrate hands-on, creative learning experiences into their classrooms," said Sandy Husk, CEO of AVID. "This partnership enables us to offer 70,000 AVID teachers access to high-caliber professional learning needed to introduce foundational 21st-century knowledge into their classrooms."

Through the partnership, AVID will make Wonder Workshop's robots and professional development available to their member schools—providing special pricing and support for integrating these tools into their classrooms.

"Our collaboration with AVID will provide millions of students the opportunity to develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills gained through learning to code," said Vikas Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Wonder Workshop. "AVID's reputation, scale, and results are unique in K–12 education, and we are eager to help them support educators as they integrate coding and robotics into their instructional practice."

Wonder Workshop's award-winning robots are used in more than 20,000 elementary and middle schools globally to bring coding to life for students and encourage students' exploration of computer science principles through activities and language they can understand. The Teach Wonder professional development program delivers 12-hour, high-quality, in-depth online lessons that train teachers in teaching the fundamentals of computer science and robotics.

About AVID
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a nonprofit, proven college-readiness system that closes the achievement gap. Today, AVID is implemented in approximately 6,400 schools in 47 states across the U.S., plus schools in Canada and Australia. AVID impacts almost 2 million students in grades K–12 and in 45 postsecondary institutions. The AVID College Readiness System transforms a school's academic culture to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges and succeed in higher education. To learn more, visit www.AVID.org.

About Wonder Workshop
Founded in 2012, Wonder Workshop's mission is to spark creativity with kids of all ages, inspiring lifelong learning through our clever robotics platform. We are committed to helping children succeed in the 21st century and developing in-depth experiences that balance fun and learning, promote collaboration, and provide enduring value to both girls and boys at home and in the classroom. Our award-winning robots are used in more than 20,000 elementary and middle schools worldwide. For more information on Wonder Workshop, visit www.makewonder.com.