Pianta and Walsh (1996) have redefined risk for school failure by extending the discussion beyond demographic variables to include the quality of the family-school relationship as a primary contributing factor to level of child risk. They argued that statistics describe what is, given existing circumstances, but say little about what can be, given different circumstances. Children are educated in low-risk circumstances if the child/family and schooling systems are functional, and home and school communicate, providing children with congruent messages about their learning. High-risk circumstances occur when children derive meanings from home or school that result in conflicting emotions, motivations or goals for students. The family-school relationship is an alterable variable that helps educate students in low-risk circumstances irrespective of specific family characteristics.