Description of the at-risk student

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Description of the at-risk student

Across the United States, there are certain factors that predict a student’s likelihood of becoming at-risk for failure. Benard says that, “Social science research has defined poverty, a social problem, as the factor most likely to put a person at-risk for ... school failure”(1997). Since there were 12.1 million children living in poverty in the United States in 2002, according to the census, the at-risk rates for students is just as high. Poverty is not the only risk factor, however. Children raised by a single parent are twice as likely to drop out as those raised by two parents. Also, black and Hispanic children, children with poorly educated mothers, students with poor health and nutrition, and students in a poorly funded school are more likely to drop out of school (Natriello 2002). Although some of these factors are interrelated, they increase the number of at risk students in the United States. Along with these environmental risk factors for failure are situational factors. Students who have to change schools frequently have higher failure rates than those who stay in one school (Natriello 2002). Students with a poor academic history and those students with history of poor behavior have lower risk of graduation, along with students who teachers perceive as uninterested and poorly motivated (U.S. Dept. of Ed. 1994). The risk factors for failure in school are all closely related, and all contribute to the 35-40% of students in the United States who are at-risk (Natriello 2002). Students at risk are often difficult for teachers to deal with, so over time educators have developed different strategies for teaching these students.

Management of at-risk students in the past

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Newspaper Articles (no author) (June 17, 2003). “Officials to Assist Students at Risk of Failing High School.” The Cambridge Reporter. Retrieved on November 3, 2003 from Lexis-Nexis Database.

Schacter, Ronald (2003, October). Growing Minority Leadership.www.techlearning.com.

Retrieved October 5, 2003 from Lexis-Nexis.

Stuart, Bob (June 7, 2003). “Virginia Governor Targets Students at Risk for Failing”. The News Virginian. Retrieved on November 3, 2003 from Lexis-Nexis Database.

Natriello, Gary (2002). Students at Risk. In D.L. Levinson, P.W. Cookson, Jr., A.R. Sadovnik (Eds.), Education and Sociology: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge Falmer

National Center for Educational Statistics. Retrieved on November 15, 2003 from nces.ed.gov.

U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on November 15, 2003 from www.census.gov

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