Cash for Grades
Education opens many doors.
But should the main one be at the bank?
School districts throughout the country are increasingly paying students for coming to class, taking tests, and improving their scores as part of controversial incentive programs known as “cash for grades.”
In Baltimore, high school students who make the grade can make some money—up to $110 for raising their scores on state assessment tests.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, passing students can turn a school day into pay day, earning $300 if they attend 90% of their classes for the year.
And near Atlanta, eighth and eleventh graders who take part in a special after-school study program are paid $8 an hour—more than the
minimum wage in most states.
Supporters of earning while learning point to increased attendance and higher test scores at underperforming schools where no other form of educational motivation has worked. “We’re in competition with the streets,” said one Bronx junior high school principal of her students. “They can go out there and make $50 illegally any day of the week. We have to do something to compete with that.”
But critics of the programs—many of which are privately funded—say the payments are simply bribes, and that using money as a motivator sends the wrong message to kids about their responsibility to learn.
Would George Washington Carver have come up with his inventions in horticulture if someone had “bribed him?” asked one critic. Would Marie Curie have been inspired to spend long hours in the lab? “What kind of message do we give unmotivated kids,” he wondered, “when we give them something they never earned?”
Tell us what you think: Should schools pay students to learn? Is learning all the way to the bank responsible?
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Good idea.
This is a great idea. Many of you are saying “I never got paid by my parents.” or “It is the student’s responsibility to learn not to be compensated for learning.” I never got paid for good grades either, in fact I never really got good grades until I got into college. The problem is most kids do not care about learning all they want to do is socialize and get out of school. By paying them to do well in school it will change their priorities and in fact help them learn more. I am currently a college student and I am currently studying psychology. This will: one, help motivate students to do better; two, decrease the rising number of dropouts; and, three, help students learn how to use money wisely. I cannot find a legitimate reason that this would not work. If you look at the statistics of the states that are partaking in this incentive, you will see that it works. Do you really want the next generation to go into the economic problems that the current reigning generation has made for us unprepared? No, I did not think so.
Pat Reeves | 11 months, 1 week ago
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I think not!!!
Students work very hard in school and don’t get paid any money. If they start getting paid to go to school they would just get lazy. There wouldn’t be any point for them to work. They are getting paid anyway!!
sharon hollow | 9 months, 3 weeks ago
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Ms
I think it’s a great idea. The dropout rate is highest among poor students. If you can show them that someone appreciates their efforts and wants to help them succeed, most will get the idea. The ones who don’t are already facing societal doomed. But at least someone tried.
It’s a great way to encourage people who are at a crucial point in their lives: do I give up and just take whatever life offers me; or do I keep trying, and reach for something better?
Kathi Watkins | 9 months, 1 week ago
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And now money?
We give children stickers, candy, toys, games, whatever for achieving minimal standards. Now, money?
There is a small town just north of where I live; they have a really nice library and a caring librarian. A few years ago, she instituted a program to teach children to love reading. She kept track of every book that each child read during the summer. At the end of the summer, the children who read the most books were rewarded with prizes. This program lasted about four years.
The children I know who participated in the programs do not read for entertainment. They read if they must in order to pass a class. They did not learn to read. They learned to compete for prizes. They stopped reading when the prizes stopped.
Why do children need to be rewarded for everything they do? If they play Little League sports, they can barely wait for the game to be over so they can get their treats.
Reading should be a reward, but it isn’t. Getting to play sports with your parents there to cheer for you should be a reward, but it isn’t. The teacher saying, “Good job,” should be a reward, but it isn’t.
I believe children should be rewarded if they perform above and beyond expectation. Rewarding them for every little paper they write or scribble on is just silly. Why should they ever exert themselves if they are rewarded for sub-standard work?
Sandy DeWitt | 9 months ago
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Don't see anything wrong
I don’t know why people jump on critics before doing research or knowing the problem. I was born and raised in Africa where a big number of kids are raised by both parents which makes it possible for both parents being responsible for their kid’s upbringing. However, here in US especially in black communities the number of single parents is continuing to raise streets gangs, killings, and young age pregnancies among teenagers. First you need to ask you self where the fathers? The answer to this is that most fathers in jails or their out there “sitting on their butts” not even aware their kid exists. But if the government or some other community organizations decides to pay these kids for better grades, to my understanding, I think it’s better for these kids to spend more time at school making money ( at the same time learning) than spending time in bedrooms having sex and smoking weed. The choice is very clear. Do you prefer spending time in school while getting paid or spending time on streets getting spoiled and finally get killed? Whether “ paying for good grades” is considered bribing or not, it’s much better than being arrest on streets for drug or gun possessions and sentenced to life in prison.
J-Rain | 9 months ago
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Choices
J-Rain: are you seriously suggesting that children have only two choices:
“spend more time at school making money, spend time in school getting paid” or “having sex and smoking weed”, “spend time on streets getting spoiled and killed” and “arrested on streets for drug or gun possession and sentenced to life in prison”?
I don’t know anywhere in the world where those are the only choices we have. Just because children are being raised by single parents doesn’t mean they have no options. If they have one person who cares what happens to them, they can be saved from the degradation you described.
If you don’t have anyone who cares for you, why not join a service club, an athletic club or church and make some friends who’ll help steer you in a more productive lifestyle?
S. A. White | 8 months ago
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Roulette
That sounds so easy if you think about it.
Gabriel-Edelgard | 7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Public School Music Teacher (Elementary)
This practice teaches children that effort = financial reward. This is not always true and it is not the association we should be making. The arts — performing and otherwise — are not often financially rewarding, but they have enormous value in our lives. They are intrinsically valuable. They also provide us with perspective and a sense of beauty. Learning to create art has other benefits as well. For example, by learning how to play a musical instrument, students develop concentration (something that is slipping away quickly in modern society), patience, mental organization skills, and memory among other things. In a good multi-cultural music program, they also learn cultural sensitivity. Would anyone argue that these are not valuable traits and skills to develop in our children? Cash for learning does not teach these traits. In fact, it probably undermines these traits as students learn that the only thing worth effort is something that provides financial reward.
Craig McGorry | 7 months, 2 weeks ago
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Oh, PUH-LEEZE
Really, Alex, how should a child feel who makes an F? He should feel humiliated unless that is the best he can do. I’ve never seen a child who had to earn an “F” on his report card.
We never scolded or punished a child for bringing home a poor grade on his report card if we felt he was trying and just not “getting it”. We tried to help him understand the subject so he could do better next time. HOWEVER, if he was just goofing around and brought home a “B”, he was on the receiving end of a serious lecture about his responsibility to himself, his parents, and his teachers to do better.
And NO we never paid him to get better grades. We never paid money for excellent grades. I suppose the children were proud of themselves and knew we were proud and would be disappointed if they received a report card that reflected a lower score than they were capable of achieving.
S.A. White | 7 months, 1 week ago
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This would definately help at schools
I am in 8th grade, and I just wanna say that I’d definately work harder if I was paid in school. First, it teaches kids about capitalism, and that if you work hard, you will be awarded. Second, if someone is living in poverty, that little extra money may help them get by without having to take the child out of school to help the family. third, if a kid wants a ps3 (and the parents actually make him earn his money), he might do better in school to get it. Overall I think this sounds like a good reason to attend school and to pay attention in class.
Teddy | 6 months ago
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