Effective Programs for Students At Risk

tor’s key role in terms of the educational opportunities for this particular student populace. The book is a scholar’s study and not easy reading, but the tone is objective, the purpose informative. References at the end of chapters average three pages. The book is an exhaustive compilation of research study results, many with contradictory findings. However, among the considerations of all aspects of effective programs for students at risk, the book indirectly heralds the challenge to principals at all levels to structure their schools’ offerings and guide their teachers. A wide variety of tasks and responsibilities comprise the principals’ role in programs for at-risk students. The reader views programs, policies, practices, and research along with the authors and realizes that it is the principal who may be faced with organizational/managerial tasks as well as instructional (directional) strategies for teachers. In addition to reviewing programs and policies that seem to suggest the importance of the principal’s roles Effective Programs for Students at Risk offers additional insights: Research studies indicate that pullout instructional models may not be as effective as classroom models, especially since these programs may not be coordinated with regular classroom work and may tend to create a disjointed educational experience for students. They disrupt and shorten students’ learning schedules. 9 Continuous progress programs and cooperative learning methods address the elements of classroom organization that make a meaningful difference in student achievement. These elements