Green for Grade$
Making the grade? Remember that old adage? Well, this catchphrase it taking on new meaning and life in Chicago Public Schools. District officials are now implementing a plan that will allow 5,000 freshmen at Chicago Public high schools to receive cash for good or even average grades.
Following the lead of parents whom reward children for a job well done in school, district officials are now going to pay students for their grades. Here’s how student paychecks will breakdown:
A--$50
B--$35
C--$20
Incoming freshman now have a chance to make $4000 over the next two years—quite the incentive, no? It is hoped that by paying students, the high dropout rate will be curbed, students will opt to stay in school and also perform well during their years in high school. The $2 million it will take to fund this experiment will come from private sources, not taxpayer money. The 20 participating high schools were chosen by lottery out of 65 that put in applications. At the selected schools, the vast majority of the students come from families living below the poverty line.
“The majority of our students don’t come from families with a lot of economic wealth. I’m always trying to level the playing field,” district CEO, Arne Duncan, told reporters Wednesday.
However, this plan does not come without critics. It has been suggested that district officials are sending the wrong message to students. And, what is that message? Bribery.
“It’s a terrible idea, because you’re getting people to do things for the wrong reasons.” ~Barry Schwartz, psychology professor at Swarthmore University~
But students like Jeremy Kellum, a 14-year-old freshman at Uplift Community High School in Uptown, welcome this test program and are already hitting the books. Duncan says this is the result he and other school officials are after.
“I do love green money….I’ll shoot for A’s instead of slacking off getting by with a C now.” ~Jeremy Kellum, 14-year-old freshman.
While some parents are mimicking their kid’s positive response to this program, the controversy surrounding it will not die down. Other cities, like Washington D.C. and New York (that host similar programs) are dealing with the same issues. I am not sure of my feelings on this experiment in our schools. When I was in high school only 6 years ago, money in exchange for good grades was not an option. The incentive to shoot for A’s was the prospect of other non-monetary awards like: making honor roll or dean’s list, not having that “talk” with your parents that resulted in getting grounded, improving your chances of getting into a better college and let’s not forget the simple one…learning for learning’s sake and proving to yourself that you could do it! So, I ask you fellow Chicagoans, Illinoisans, students, Street Teamers and CHANGE SEEKERS, what is your opinion on this plan?