Understanding and helping at-risk students First book to present in-depth, research-based information on at-risk students in schools todayIdentification and characteristics of at-risk students, and their impact on social and school environmentComponents and analysis of effective prevention and intervention programsSelection of Learner's Edge At-risk students present a major and growing problem in US schools today. Now in a completely updated second edition, Shadow Children: Understanding Education's #1 Problem provides an in-depth, research based examination of the at-risk problem and population by a leading authority. Included is a section of 5 chapters that provides guidance in prevention and intervention programs. The new edition is the primary text for Learner's Edge popular distance learning course "The Courage to Care: Working with At-Risk Students". How can educators identify, assess, understand and help at-risk students? This book provides in-depth answers to key questions such as: Who are today's at-risk children? How do children become at-risk? What are the characteristics of at-risk children—how do they impact the social and school environment? What are the components of effective prevention and intervention programs? The answers to these and questions provided by a leading authority will help you understand and deal with the growing issue of at-risk students in U.S. schools today.

In a future where the Population Police enforce the law limiting a family to only two children, Luke, an illegal third child, has lived all his twelve years in isolation and fear on his family's farm in this start to the Shadow Children series from Margaret Peterson Haddix. Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend. Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside. Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows—does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?

In this fourth installment of a series about a society that allows only two children per family, Luke Garner is finally adjusting to his new life at Hendricks School as Lee Grant. While the Grants belong to the highest class of society called the Barons, Luke avoids snobbish affectations and befriends his classmates, who are also illegal thirds. When the real Lee Grant's younger brother arrives at the school, along with his fierce body guard, Luke worries that Smits will expose him to the government. However, Smits has come to enlist Luke's help in discovering how his older brother really died, suspecting that he was murdered. The intrigue and danger grow more acute when both boys are called "home" and Luke discovers that the Grants have plans for him that could turn out to be fatal.

In the third installment of Haddix's series about a futuristic society in which families are forbidden to have more than two children, Nina, a secondary character in Among the Impostors, is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned by the Population Police. Her interrogator gives her an ultimatum: either she can get three other child prisoners, illegal third-borns like Nina, to reveal who harbored them and where they got their fake identification cards, or she will be executed. Nina sees a chance to escape the prison and, taking the prisoners with her, quickly discovers their street smarts. But when their food supply runs out, Nina seeks the boy she knew as Lee.

Alexandrea has just moved to Harlem and her mother is pushing her into ballet and she has stage fright.