Students who show lower academic levels of success due to non-academic factors such as lack of resources and support in the traditional educational setting deserve to be framed in a more uplifting light. The shift in language needs to refocus from the students to the systems that create the inequities that we push against in the work we do. Adapting to a more asset-based emphasis when talking about these students helps to pull them away from feeling marginalized, perpetuating stereotypes, and reinforcing negative stigmas.
Consider the context and shift the focus in your words. Instead of referring to "at-risk" students, consider framing them as students who are under-served or under-represented, for example (this shifts to person-first and the emphasis is on the factors that are impacting their situation rather than just a general classification).
