At-Risk Students Research Papers

The terms “at-risk” or “high-risk” describe a breadth factors that are thought to put students at greater risk of not developing into productive citizens. Risk factors such as poverty, single-parent families, disabilities, familial substance or physical abuse, and limited language proficiency are thought to contribute to dropping out, adolescent substance abuse, running away, violence, crime, teen pregnancy, and depression or suicide . The very education that provides these students with stability and skills to move beyond their unfortunate circumstances, often further alienates them putting them at even greater risk. The costs associated with students not succeeding at or finishing school are very high. In 1991, the annual cost of school dropouts was over $800 per taxpayer per year. An inordinate number of school dropouts who are learning, emotionally, or neurologically disabled are incarcerated.

Teachers are generally the first to observe educational difficulties and the underlying factors contributing to the difficulties. While the risk factors and the ability to recognize them are known, the solution to engaging students and helping them succeed in school is not as clear. Nevertheless, schools of all levels have implemented a variety of traditional and innovated programs designed specifically for at-risk students.

The theories and practices of at-risk programming varies greatly however most successful programs provide one or more of the following characteristics: modification of the school environment (i.e. alternative education schools); improving student attachment to school; developing school board policies and requirements; using Myers-Briggs Type or other learning style indicators; and mentoring programs .  Borrowing from the Prepare Curriculum developed by Goldstein, the I’m Okay, You’re Okay program by Harris, and the Quality School idea from Glasser, Centennial High School in Fort Collins, Colorado has implemented the Discovery Program. A Principal reports the success of the program “combines effective social skills – learned in a six week ‘boot camp’— with dignity and trust that come from personal empowerment,”. Before implementing the program, Centennial’s attendance rate was 75 percent and its drop out rate was a dismal 44 percent. In a three-year period of using the Discovery Program, the attendance rate increased to 94 percent and the dropout rate to less than 10 percent. To achieve this, educators made a commitment to create a nurturing environment in which students could experience success on all levels. Students were taught social and communication skills, conflict management, anger management, assertiveness skills, and problem solving techniques. Administrators do their part in creating a safe community while students are expected to meet their end of the deal by meeting attendance requirements, staying clean and sober, using skills taught to them, and being prepared to learn.

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A research paper is an in-depth examination of At-Risk Students. More than just an overview of what was learned on At-Risk Students, like a term paper is, a research paper contains analysis of At-Risk Students along the lines of organizational theory and relevant published material. Research papers are highly analytical and can often be more than 8 to 10 pages. The key to a good research project is the examination of recently published journal articles and peer-reviewed material on the At-Risk Students chosen. Like the name implies, research papers are exactly that, a paper that examines the information that can be found on At-Risk Students.