Getting Paid for Good Grades

In an effort to improve school performance, many schools in cities across the U.S. have begun to implement incentive programs that reward cash prizes to students — and their teachers — for improved scores on standardized tests. While some skeptics worry that such incentive programs are akin to bribery, many experts say that they can be beneficial to disadvantaged children in poorer-performing schools — as long as the emphasis is on long-term learning rather than simply preparing for a test.

Rewards raise the bar. For many students, such incentive programs may be the first time they are exposed to challenging courses. A recent Cornell University study found that an Advanced Placement program launched in Texas in 1996 not only raised the number of students scoring above 1100 on the SAT, or 24 on the ACT, by 30% but also boosted the number of students who went on to college by 8%.

Incentives can change the future. Research shows that continual, long-term incentives such as paying a child to get good grades, study or read a book can change study habits. And, proponents add, merit-based scholarships are no different from these programs, which have more tangible and immediate rewards.

Programs can strengthen community. The most successful incentive programs build a sense among teachers, students and parents that they are working together toward a common goal — improving student performance.