Does Paying For Good Grades Cheapen Education? : NPR: As a new academic year begins, hundreds of schools around the country are experimenting with programs that offer students pay for performance. Even young children can earn cash for reading books, showing up for study hall, improving test scores and meeting other goals.
Many teachers are reporting good results, saying students work harder when given immediate incentives such as money or, in some cases, prizes such as MP3 players and cell phones loaded with free minutes. Various pilot programs have been undertaken in New York, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas and elsewhere.
The programs can be fairly lucrative for children. In a Washington, D.C., pilot program, for example, students can earn as much as $100 every two weeks. Funds for such programs typically come from taxpayers, foundation grants or some mix of private and public money. The programs generally aim to motivate poorer children to improve classroom attendance and performance.
