Reaching at-risk secondary students remains a monolithic challenge for teachers today. With so much emphasis being placed on high-stakes tests, many of these students are electing to drop out of school; in some instances, they are being pushed out. Their academic failures have created a sense of helplessness that teachers must break through if they are to re-engage these students in the learning experience. Making meaningful, mutual cultural accommodations can make at-risk students feel it's safe to learn again. This session will identify some of these accommodation strategies.