Thread: Straight A students stand to earn 4K

Good grades pay off
'BRIBERY'? | Straight-A students stand to earn $4K
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September 11, 2008

BY ROSALIND ROSSI AND LISA DONOVAN Staff Reporters
Straight A's can translate into earnings of $4,000 and straight Cs can yield kids $1,600 under a new program debuting this year in 20 Chicago public high schools.

Every five-week reporting period, freshmen and sophomores can earn $50 for each A, $35 for each B and $20 for each C in five subjects: English, math, science, social science and physical education.

But kids will only get half their earnings upfront. They have to graduate to receive the other half.

Some critics immediately blasted the program -- the brainchild of the Education Laboratory at Harvard University -- as "bribery,'' but Chicago Schools CEO Arne Duncan insisted otherwise.

"It's incenting, recognizing and rewarding hard work and a commitment to education,'' he said. "I want to pull out the stops.''

Duncan said the program -- funded through private donations -- is intended to discourage failure during the first two years of high school, when kids are most at risk of dropping out, and to encourage kids to graduate.

Any F during the freshmen or sophomore year disqualifies students from cash rewards for that marking period, although they can reap rewards later if they re-take and pass their failing class.

The program offers 5,000 eligible students the kind of financial carrot that many middle- and upper-class families provide, but many CPS parents can't afford, Duncan said.

"This is cutting edge,'' Duncan said. "It's pushing the envelope. But it's exactly the right thing to do."

And, Duncan said, CPS hopes to add additional incentives in junior and senior year, perhaps tied to ACT preparation classes or ACT scores.

One critic attacked the program as "bribery" and "lunacy."

"It's a sad day when Harvard University thinks this is a good idea,'' said Julie Woestehoff of Parents United for Responsible Education. "I wonder if Harvard will be paying their students to get good grades.''

But some kids liked the idea.

Sharron Mirco, a senior at Senn High, said the cash rewards could help kids who earn good grades but can't afford college. Sharron said she's a C student, but she would push herself to earn Bs.

"This is definitely an incentive,'' Sharron said. "I think that's a fantastic idea.''

Fabian Young, a sophomore at the Al Raby, said he's all for it.

"I may be a little biased,'' Fabian said. "I have straight As.''

Other schools participating are: UPLIFT, Best Practice, Bowen Environmental Studies, Bowen Global Visions, Chicago Discovery Academy, Chicago Military, School of Entrepreneurship, Douglass , School of Leadership, Hirsch, Hope, Hubbard, Kennedy, Kelvyn Park, Manley, Phoenix Military, Richards, Senn and Simeon.

No taxpayer money will be spent on the program. Instead, Duncan said, the Broad Foundation is donating startup dollars, and CPS will be seeking additional contributors.

The initiative, called the Paper Project, is one of several innovative education programs Harvard University will be monitoring this year. Similar incentive programs are now operating in New York City and Washington, D.C., CPS officials said.

It also is one of two Green for Grade$ programs now operating in CPS schools. The first such program, unveiled last June, offered 350 students money for college if they hit certain academic attendance.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/ ... eb.article

Oh WONDERFUL IDEA!!! Most school districts these days are struggling under budget cuts while they have the burden of building more schools to handle all the anchor-baby munchkins. Where is the money coming from? Getting rid of more teachers (except those in ESL, of course)?

Where is the money coming from?

Supposidly it's from a private donor. Just don't care for the plan because before long someones going to expect it at all schools or it's not "fair". They said it's because "wealthy" kids get pay offs for grades from their parents and "poor" parents can't. But these same schools give cars away for attendance......getting expensive. I mean do you or did you pay your kids like 35 bucks for every A? 30 for a B 25 for a C? etc. A Car when they graduated? Not mine. My pay off was the value of the education. My parents felt we were paid in advance with the oppertunity of an education......and it was our JOB to make something of that. More like you are in debt and it's your responsibility to do your best to make up for it.

I might have gotten a slight reward if I was having serious problems and tried extra special hard.....but nothing like this. We all don't get monitary rewards for everything we do. Sometimes you simply just do it because you have to.

I'm afraid it's going to go to.....eghhh...7 dollars worth of pay, seven dollars worth of effort. Gone is simply doing the best you can. Lord knows I've heard that enough.....why are you working so hard for this pay.....ain't like it's gonna get you anywhere. And it didn't. Except for the personal satisfaction that I did the best I could.

All I see here is the potential for the illegal alien advocacy to start screaming about how such a program is "racist" and "discriminatory".

Why? Because all of the national statistics show that anchor babies and illegal alien students have the highest failing grade and drop out rates out of any other student population in the US. Cash incentives for passing grades are highly unlikely to reverse this trend in any school district.

Their "solution". amid the wailing, and lawsuits, based upon claims of racism and discrimination, will be to DEMAND that cash incentives be given to anchors and IA students simply for showing up in class

Originally Posted by azwreath

All I see here is the potential for the illegal alien advocacy to start screaming about how such a program is "racist" and "discriminatory".

Why? Because all of the national statistics show that anchor babies and illegal alien students have the highest failing grade and drop out rates out of any other student population in the US. Cash incentives for passing grades are highly unlikely to reverse this trend in any school district.

Their "solution". amid the wailing, and lawsuits, based upon claims of racism and discrimination, will be to DEMAND that cash incentives be given to anchors and IA students simply for showing up in class

DITTO!!!!!

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Originally Posted by azwreath

All I see here is the potential for the illegal alien advocacy to start screaming about how such a program is "racist" and "discriminatory".

Why? Because all of the national statistics show that anchor babies and illegal alien students have the highest failing grade and drop out rates out of any other student population in the US. Cash incentives for passing grades are highly unlikely to reverse this trend in any school district.

Their "solution". amid the wailing, and lawsuits, based upon claims of racism and discrimination, will be to DEMAND that cash incentives be given to anchors and IA students simply for showing up in class

DITTO!!!!!

I personally think it's irresponsible to pay kids to do what they should be taught at home to do on their own. To pay a kid to make good grades doesn't teach him/her how to do when doing needs to be done.