The Social Construction of the ‘At‐risk’ Child

The ‘at‐risk’ child has become a topic of increasing concern to American educators. It has been estimated that fully one‐third of all school‐age children are currently at risk for academic failure, and a recent report on pre‐school‐age children suggests that all are at risk to some degree. This article explores contemporary constructions and constructions over time in an effort to deconstruct the notion of the ‘at‐risk’ child and to examine how meaning is produced and to what end. The theoretical and historical material provide a framework in which data from a statewide survey of school administrators, regarding their preferences for pre‐kindergarten programs, are interpreted.