Virtually any child at some stage in their education could find themselves at risk. They won't necessarily fit the stereotype of the truant or the disruptive student. They may be having family problems, be ill or they may be gifted.
The Department of Education and Training defines students at educational risk as "those students who may be at risk of not achieving their major learning outcomes of schooling to levels which enable them to achieve their potential."
They are students whose performance or rate of progress has changed dramatically, those who are underachieving and those not participating in schooling. This section seeks to direct attention to traditionally under-represented groups of gifted students in an effort to ensure that appropriate educational opportunities are provided.
The identification and provision processes for gifted students who may be at risk often require modification and can become quite complex, particularly for students who may be considered in more than one 'at risk' group.
The identification process should be comprehensive and ongoing, and testing procedures may need to be modified to enable the achievement of optimal outcomes.