The Journal of Social Studies Research 41 (2017) 311–312

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The Journal of Social Studies Research

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jssr

Book review

After the “at-risk” label: Reorienting educational policy and practice, K.D. Brown. Teachers College Press, New York
(2016).

Keffrelyn D. Brown's newest book, After the “At-Risk” Label: Reorienting Educational Policy and Practice provides a well-
researched view of United States public schools. Brown's use of tools for critical reflection and practice actively engage and
promote inquiry for the reader. The extended activities provide the reader with relevant, real world application. Brown's
purpose to “explore the knowledge that informs how three education sites- policy, practicing teachers, and those preparing
to become teachers-talk about, make sense of, and act in relation to potential risk and student academic achievement across
national and local contexts” (p.2), remains clear throughout the entire text. After the “At-Risk” Label: Reorienting Educational
Policy and Practice would benefit preservice teachers, inservice teachers, school administrators, teacher educators, and policy
makers. While other authors address some of the topics discussed in this text, Brown gives an inclusive and historic look at
the “at-risk” label. Current practitioners may see this book as a resource of talking points to use school administrators and
policy makers. The text would work well in undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses.
Keffrelyn D. Brown's newest book, After the “At-Risk” Label: Reorienting Educational Policy and Practice provides a well-
researched view of United States public schools. The text is intended for preservice teachers, inservice teachers, school
administrators, teacher educators, and policy makers. Brown's use of tools for critical reflection and practice actively engage
and promote inquiry for the reader. The extended activities provide the reader with relevant, real world application. Brown's
purpose to “explore the knowledge that informs how three education sites- policy, practicing teachers, and those preparing
to become teachers-talk about, make sense of, and act in relation to potential risk and student academic achievement across
national and local contexts” (p.2), remains clear throughout the entire text.
The book is divided into six chapters. Each of the chapters explores different facets of the “at-risk” label. The chapters are
thoroughly researched and organized with each providing background information on the subject at hand. The contextual
evidence provided throughout the chapters offering familiarity with terms and policies, past and present. The end of section
questions promotes reflection and discussion. Brown includes an array of examples throughout the text through policies,
practices, and case studies. The nature of the book would work well to promote discourse in a classroom setting.
As the title suggests, the book examines the “at-risk” label. Brown's choice of topics give the reader an inclusive look at
the history, policies, and practices of student achievement. The book chapters range from federal education policy to teacher
preparation to critical reorientation. The six chapters examine the history and use of labels for students’ academic
achievement noting that “existing literature on the at-risk student that the construct is historically situated, pervasive, and
socially produced in ways that problematically invoke race, social class, and gender” (p.5). The book gives examples of
“diminished opportunities for quality education afforded to presumably at-risk students who attend schools in high-poverty
areas and school systems” (p.9).
The “theoretical, empirical, and praxis-oriented knowledge that informs the risk-achievement nexus in education” (p.15)
is apparent throughout the entire text. The questioning and inquiry of educational practices creates a powerful learning
experience. The sociocultural knowledge of risk discussed throughout the book showcases implications of labeling. The
engaging nature of the text would work well for most teacher education course formats.
The use of “history as a site of inquiry” (p.18) is well laid out by Brown. The contentions surrounding educational risk are
well explained. “At-risk” discourse, theorizing risk in social practice, and risk knowledge and achievement are all explained
by the author. Federal policies effect on categorizing and labeling “at-risk” students is explained in detail. Brown gives a
multitude of examples of risk and academic achievement found in education policies. She places emphasis on how “risk
discourse operates in both necessary and dangerous ways” (p.68).
Furthermore, Brown outlines findings from interviews with preservice and inservice teachers. Both groups of educators
held similar opinions in regards to “at-risk” students. Pre-service teachers who participated in interviews highlighted “the
danger associated with misidentifying, failing to identify, and/or holding low learning expectations for students who might
face academic difficulty” (p.88). Most of the preservice teachers used their own experiences for background information on
academic achievement. Moreover, the inservice teacher interviewed emphasized “the danger associated with failing to

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2017.08.005
312 Book review / The Journal of Social Studies Research 41 (2017) 311–312

identify students who might face academic risk” (p.125). The inservice teachers “believed the support they provided could
effectively address the news of their low-achieving students” (p.143). Teacher judgement was the main way teachers
addressed low achievement.
Additionally, Brown explains preservice and inservice teachers used “cultural deficit and structural/institutional expla-
nations to account for academic achievement” (p.149). She gives examples of why teachers believe students do not achieve
academically. Examples provided by Brown include race, gender, socioeconomic class, and first language. While the text
explains many “reasons” teachers and policy makers historically believe student fall behind academically, I believe the issue
of wrongful special education placement could have been included. Bohan and Randolph (2009) discuss a 1984 NAACP
lawsuit against 13 Georgia school districts for special education placement without testing and evaluations. This case is an
overt use of race implying a cognitive disability.
The importance of preparing teachers to work with all students is highlighted throughout the text. Teacher education is a
space where multicultural education and teacher reflection is present. Teacher education programs are the “prime locations
for examining what this [formalized] knowledge coveys about risk and achievement” (p.165). Suggestions for teacher
education programs are offered such as “the opportunity to critically reflect on their understanding of academic achieve-
ment and academic risk” (p.167). Specific questions for reflection are also listed in the text.
Furthermore, Brown expresses that critical reflection work is not just for preservice teachers and inservice teachers. She
explains the need for teacher educators to engage in the process in coursework and courses. Brown challenges teacher
educators to evaluate what degree course materials and course discussions address the issue of risk and academic
achievement (p.168). Suggested class activities and assignments are provided for critical observation.
After the “At-Risk” Label: Reorienting Educational Policy and Practice would benefit preservice teachers, inservice teachers,
school administrators, teacher educators, and policy makers. While other authors address some of the topics discussed in
this text, Brown gives an inclusive and historic look at the “at-risk” label (Brown, 2016). Current practitioners may see this
book as a resource of talking points to use school administrators and policy makers. The text would work well in under-
graduate and graduate teacher education courses.

References

Bohan, C. B., & Randolph, P. (2009). The social studies curriculum in Atlanta Public Schools during the Desegregation Era. Theory and Research in Social
Education, 4(37), 543–569.
Brown, K. D. (2016). After the “at-risk” label: Reorienting educational policy and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

Aubrey Brammar Southall, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. She has six years of secondary education teaching
experience in the metro-Atlanta area. Aubrey has instructed middle school and high school social studies and ESOL courses in public and private schools.
Currently Aubrey instructs secondary methods courses and is the chair of secondary education. She can be reached at asouthall@aurora.edu.

Aubrey Brammar Southall

Aurora University, Aurora, IL, United States
E-mail address: asouthall@aurora.edu

31 August 2017

Available online 18 September 2017