1.   Poor self-concept; low self-esteem
2.   Low academics; particularly behind in reading and math
3.   Socially isolated; poor inter-personal skills; lack of positive peer relationships at school
4.   Feeling of not belonging at school, of being different
5.   Feeling of lack of control over life (i.e. 'No matter how hard I try I will not succeed.')
6.   Little or no extra-curricular involvement
7.   Mental and/or emotional instability; childhood depression
8.   Unidentified learning disabilities
9.   Vision and/or auditory problems that have gone undiagnosed
10. Language barriers
11. Poor health
12. Negative peer relationships; older, non-school oriented friends
13. Substance abuse
14. Fear of school, teachers, and/or administrators
15. Experienced recent traumatic event (divorce, death of a loved one)
16. Fear of physical protection going to or at school
17. Teenage pregnancy and/or parenting.

Family
1.   Parents lack appreciation for value of education
2.   Parents are high-school dropouts
3.   Financial difficulties (lack of adequate nutrition, clothing, transportation; inability to pay fees)
4.   Ineffective parenting; lack of parental control and supervision
5.   Familial instability (one-parent household; parental discord; poor parent-child relationship;
      frequent moving)
6.   Inappropriate role models
7.   Child abuse and/or neglect (physical, psychological, sexual)
8.   Substance abuse; alcoholic parent
9.   Parental convenience (older sibling kept home to babysit for young children)

School
1.   Uninteresting and irrelevant curriculum
2.   Improper class placement (above or below abilities)
3.   Failure to identify and provide services for problem students
4.   Poor pupil-teacher relationships
5.   Insufficient counseling and guidance staff
6.   High student/teacher ratio
7.   Low teacher expectations
8.   Lack of parent - school communication and involvement
9.   Too weak, or too rigid administration of policies

Community
1.   Lack of support for school
2.   Lack of, or unresponsive community service agencies
3.   Community upheaval and social change
4.   Loss of neighborhood schools and sense of 'ownership' of schools
5.   Negative peer influences
6.   High incidence of substance abuse, criminal activity
7.   Gang activity
8.   Inadequate provision for transportation