Paying Students to Stay in School...

This article may reward students for getting better grades, but it seems more about decreasing the dropout rate more than anything. I think students will work harder to get the money, especially if they do not have money in the first place, but it places a different value on Education. From the various pieces I read (and viewed) on the subject matter, many agree that this is a questionable move. One of the parts of the article from the Tribune that I found offensive was the remark about how students in the city should be exposed to the same incentives that middle-class families have. Personally I was never paid for getting good grades and neither were many of my friends. It seems kind of ridiculous to generalize that statement to include everyone.

Furthermore, I understand that the incentive is appealing to many students who do not have much money, but by giving the students cash (at least half) right away it's not teaching them to save. There are schools that are instituting similar monetary incentives, but the students will only get the money if they enroll in a college/university. I could agree with the program if it encouraged further education, but just making sure that students stick through high school is pointless. Putting money into a college fund is more beneficial because the student will be able to explore other possibilities not offered in high school and will ultimately have a better paying job once having been through college. However, if we give the students half the money upfront...WHAT are they spending that money on?

Regardless, as a future educator, I do not like the idea of paying students for grades. What is frightening is that many schools have implemented variations of the Chicago idea, but no one really knows what the long term effects on students are. Rather than really learning, the students will resort to simple memorization (as that seems that that is all that is required in schools these days thanks to scantron tests) and will therefore not benefit from the program. The schools are not focusing on improving their student's educational environment, but improving the grades of the school in GENERAL. They are working on improving the academic image of the school instead of working on the fundamental problems of these schools. Why don't we focus on getting newer and better materials for these classrooms? Can we reopen failed schools that closed and are now affecting the education of others because classrooms are too crowded?

I have included several articles and a video discussing the topic at hand for further information.

Earn an A? Here's $50.

Des Moines school will pay schools to learn

Debate About Paying Students for Grades Shows Our Desire for Children to Succeed

Classy, Tacky, or Stupid?: Paying students for grades

Is Paying Students for Good Grades a Good Idea?

Capital Gains Program Promises Cash For DC Students