Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the issue of at-risk students in a rural district in Midwestern USA. Design/methodology/approach: This field-based research study used a qualitative embedded case study of a middle and high school informed by an appreciative inquiry theoretical research perspective to identify a positive core of teacher and administrator experiences related to at-risk students. At-risk students are those who under-perform in mandated academic assessments as well as school-related academic achievement. Social capital and appreciative inquiry served as theoretical perspectives. Focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and an online survey were the primary data-gathering methods. Findings: Three findings illustrated the gap between present practice and the ideal state. The research team concluded that there was a foundation of positive core experiences from which to build on the espoused theory of caring professed by teachers and administrators. Originality/value: The study's results can further teachers' and administrators' understanding of their problem-based language that emphasizes the deficits of at-risk students and their parents.