At-Risk Students

Students who are likely to fail or drop out of school are defined as at-risk. They are vulnerable to becoming academically ill-equipped and disengaged (withdrawing from classes and through suspension and/or expulsion), thus increasing school failure. According to Robert Slavin, though some students graduate, they do not have the competency to succeed in life, as many have insufficient school experience. African American, low-income, and immigrant children were placed in schools that offered basic education, tracking them for factory, field, and domestic jobs. The insufficient or lower quality of education provided to these students placed them in at-risk positions of failing or dropping out. The 1966 Coleman Report highlights research that shows schools' failure in meeting the needs of students at risk. In recent years, major ...