What is an at-risk student? According to Education Reform, “at-risk” refers to a student, or usually a group of students who face “a higher probability of failing academically or dropping out of school.”
Often, these students are “at-risk” because of outside factors like domestic abuse, health issues, incarcerated family members, an in-stable or difficult home-life, or simply language or cultural barriers. At-risk students require extra support to overcome these obstacles and achieve academic success.
Read about some of the ways that districts can offer this support below.
Create a More Personal Relationship
Unfortunately, many at-risk students report that their interactions with teachers and administrators are negative. At-risk students may require specialized attention, which a typical teacher might not have the bandwidth for, given all of their other responsibilities.
This is where a tutor can help. A more personalized, approach during small-group tutoring can help struggling students better understand material, also improving their in-class learning.
Acknowledge Differences in Learning Struggles
At-risk students are not all the same and often experience different challenges. The most common types of learning difficulties are school-related, student-related, family-related, and community-related.
School-related factors could look like a student struggling to focus because they can’t find relevance between the curriculum subject and their real lives, while student-related struggles can take the form of behavioral issues or health complications.
Among older students, family-related struggles can stem from low parental involvement or an economic need for a student to work and provide for their family. Community-related factors may include students becoming more prone to drug abuse or criminal activity due to their community setting.
Specialized instructors, in-school programs, or online courses can all help address these issues and help develop learning plans that take the needs of at-risk students into close consideration.
Offer At-Home or Remote Options
Some at-risk students may not have the ability to find supplemental learning support, or even complete their homework despite struggling in class. Older students may find it difficult to study or find resources as they prepare for standardized tests.
Accessible education can really make a difference: school take-home laptop programs or computer card programs at local libraries can help make online learning accessible for these students. Students with learning deficits often respond better to the personalized pace of digital instruction. For example, online programs allow students to repeat problems at their own pace of understanding, not that of the entire classroom.
Districts might struggle to find supplemental tutoring or online resources to help their at-risk students. That’s where providers like Intervene K-12 can help.
What is Intervene K-12?
At Intervene K-12, we believe in helping every student succeed. We provide high-dosage, small-group, face-to-face tutoring for school districts all over the country, so that they can empower their students to succeed. Learn more at intervenek12.com