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A couple of years ago, Harvard Professor and New York City public school's Chief Equality Officer, Roland Fryer, had the big brain, convention busting idea to see what would happen if poor kids were paid for getting good grades, too. Fryer's idea was met with resistance and skepticism. But you know what? The program appears to be working.
An overwhelming number of schools participating in a controversial program that pays kids for good grades saw huge boosts -- up to nearly 40 percentage points higher -- in reading and math scores this year, a Post analysis found. Source: Learn and Earn Plan Pays off scores soar at cash-for-kids-schools, New York Post
About two-thirds of the 59 high-poverty schools in the Sparks program -- which pays seventh-graders up to $500 and fourth-graders as much as $250 for their performance on a total of 10 assessments -- improved their scores since last year's state tests by margins above the citywide average.They sound like Wall Street traders don't they? In this day and age, it is essential for poor, underserved kids to associate doing well in school with financial benefit. Those of us who grew up poor and made our way out and up, had the importance of education instilled in us somewhere along the way. We learned that it was the only way out. And if there is no one to impart the message that education can set you toward a life of opportunity, then maybe the government, via the public school system, can give poor children a boost on the front end.
Principals at the highest-scoring schools cautioned that the Sparks program was just one of many factors in the test-score jumps.
But many reported seeing indisputable academic benefits -- including more motivation, better focus and an increase in healthy competition for good grades among students.
"It's an ego booster in terms of self-worth," said Rose Marie Mills, principal at MS 343 in Mott Haven, where nearly 90 percent of students qualify for federal poverty aid.
"When they get the checks, there's that competitiveness -- 'Oh, I'm going to get more money than you next time' -- so it's something that excites them." Source: New York Post
Lord knows, we don't complain about spending money on prisons at the backend.
Comments: (16)
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By: kcn9971 on 6/10/2009 10:50AM
Very well said, AAMILAHA9. It seems the education system in America finds it easier to indoctrinate our children into a self gratuitous mind set, rather than teach them the value of an education!!
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By: Lisa on 7/06/2009 7:19PM
I wonder why it is up to the school to reward black children, or any child, for doing well. Shouldn't the parents be doing that? Why should it be the education system to teach black children that education is important? In my neighborhood it isn't "cool" to get good grades. It isn't "cool" to be a good student. WHERE IS THE GUIDENCE FROM THE PARENTS???? All that our ancestors went through to get us where we are today and for what??? Look at the Jewish. They went through hell too but they are moving forward. Those who died in the holocaust did not die in vain. I wish I could say the same about our ancestors.
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By: jo on 6/17/2009 9:41PM
Yes,parents should be the first one in line in all children's education , not just in black children's education. But what do you do when there is no parents available for the poor lonely child. Some children live with grandparents, aunts, or even with parents who have little to no education. Some children really dont have a home to begain with. So, nevertheless when the school system looked at this situation, maybe their idea was for personal gain, but maybe the children looked at it as someone has really taken an interst in my education. So, less just say thay by the time some of these children reach high school someone(maybe you ) will have come up with a way to teach these children how to save their money and to be able to buy their senior pictures,cap&gowns, and class rings that their other classmates are purchasing. So, all in all less just say that throughout our lives we all will be used in one way or another. But, will we happen to learn anything along the way. Atleast, some of these children can say that their grades did amount to something. Besides, not all children need to be paid to do well in school. But, when they are it really helps. Remember you have to help one to save one.
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By: Sheryl on 7/07/2009 1:08AM
The difference between being African American and being a Jew is that I can and will always be an African American, a Jewish person can walk out the house and 'decide' whether or not they want to disclose the fact that they are Jewish. And if you think for a minute that a Jewish person will give you a break just because you are African American and they 'feel' your pain... you are sadly mistaken.
I personally think it's a good idea to have such an incentive. I mean at work, we work hard to get raises and bonuses, so what's the difference?
Maybe the kids will save that money for college, because college these days is expensive as hell, and they dayum sure won't be paid for good grades there.
Of course discipline and good study habits begin in the home, but why not the extra incentive? I would rather our kids get paid for getting good grades then to have our girls getting paid to shake their half nude behinds in front of a camera, and our young men getting paid to pick up a microphone and call these young ladies, everything but a child of God, and the names they were born with.
I personally feel that the educators who are against this type of program are upset because they didn't think of it first.
We don't have that program here, and no I don't reward good grades with money, because I do believe that my kids should want to get good grades to make a better lives for themselves. But for those parents w/ kids who live in an environment where they seem like the situation is hopeless, I feel that this is a justifiable means to and end, filled with possibilities.
Good grades in school, means more of an opportunity for scholarships, academic scholarships, not just athletic scholarships.
I see PSA (public service announcements) say all the time how much more a college graduate makes as opposed to a high school graduate, so why not encourage then NOW! Especially those who are at a disadvantage?
The difference between try and triumph
is a little umph!
~~ANON~~
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By: Davon on 6/16/2009 2:24PM
I am a teacher in a poor part of Harrisburg, Pa., where most of the children are black. I relocated from a lower-middle class city where most were white or latino. I did see a difference between the two. Let me first say that I do not see color for I am many. Unfortunately, there is a lack of enthusiasm from my african-american students. Many if not most are disrespectful to the faculty and each other. No we don't get a lot of funding but this is not the problem. I believe that the lack of enthusiasm from the parents is the problem. I grew up poor, however, I was taught that our income did not dictate our outcome. That we are products of our choices not our money. We have lost our parents in the black communities. Plain and simple. I believe that if you want to blame someone for poor educations and the direction of the children in black schools you should blame the parents of the students. We rely too much on the government.
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By: Dawn on 6/16/2009 3:38PM
Amen Lisa. I am so sick of hearing them whine about how bad they have it. Well wake up! At this point black Americans, if your life sucks it's probably because of something you did or did not do. We have a black president for God's sakes. Don't try to tell me that you don't have opportunity. How about teaching your children to behave!!! How about kicking their as*es when they do something wrong or break the law!!!???? I was on welfare and poor eating mayonaise sandwhiches for dinner but guess what? I now live in a beautiful home and my kids are staight A students. Why? It's because it is what was expected of them by their PARENTS! They are respectful and polite..Why? Becaus it is what they were taught by their PARENTS. Don't try and blame lazy or in many cases, non-existent parenting on the education system. Blame yourselves.
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By: Stop the madness on 6/16/2009 5:01PM
I am in agreement with most of you. I am an educator in suburban Atlanta. We are preparing most of our students for failure. Until the entire community becomes involve in the education of african american children, we will continue to see more students falling by the roadside. Currently, I am teaching students who didn't pass the standardized test during the year. Guess what, most of the students are lacking the basic skills to pass any test. It is so sad, these kids are so far behind that it doesn't make sense. How can we reach these students, when their parents are lost as well? Physical punishment is not the answer to our problems. The problem is getting worse. I would like to see our civic organizations, churches, media, celebrities, and the whole nine yards come together and discuss this issue. It never ceases to amaze me how our students know the words to every rap song, but can't spell, write simple sentences, or count without using your fingers. Our priorities are in the wrong place. Those who are educated and doing the right thing, don't turn your head and make negative comments. Please volunteer at a school where your expertise could be utilized. We need a strong male presence in the elementary schools whereby you can influence someone's life.
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By: Tonya on 7/07/2009 5:47AM
I grew up poor. Getting paid for good grades would have been great but it would not have made me do better in school. What made me do well was my mother and the consequences of getting a bad grade. This is just putting a bandaid on a bigger problem. Where is this money going to come from? Let me guess, taxes. What's next?
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By: Lisa on 7/07/2009 8:30AM
Here's an idea. How about instead of giving money for good grades, how about taking money. Take $10 a week from the parents welfare check each month for every bad grade. Take $2 a day for every drug test failed by the parents and student. Take another $2 per day for every day that the parents sit on their as*es and do absolutely nothing to better their communities. How's that sound? I always wondered why welfare recipients were'nt given manditory volunteer work. Why the handout?
Sheryl, why do blacks deserve a break by a Jew or anyone else?????? Listen, the black race at this point, I feel, are a product of their poor decisions, not their conditions. My conditions sucked as a child. I had one person, my Grandmother, who cared and that was all I needed. She made the difference not a paycheck for good grades. Next you will want to pay parents to give a sh*t about their kids. I would like to pay them to not have kids. To think that someone is upset with this idea because "they didn't think of it first" is ludicrous. That is just a dumb statement. No one should get a handout for something that should already be expected of them. I for one believe that this too all falls back to the parents and their ability to care about their kids.
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By: gd on 7/07/2009 11:24AM
DUMB is the comment about our ancestors dying in vain that was dumb!
"Look at the Jewish. They went through hell too but they are moving forward. Those who died in the holocaust did not die in vain. I wish I could say the same about our ancestors."
Also... you know "we" are all about receiving credit for something... so the idea of having not thought of this idea first is not that far fetched as you would think.
I don't doubt that you had it rough and made something out of yourself, you seem half way intelligent, but what you seem to have forgotten where you came from. The purpose of 'making it out' is to give back... not look down the nose to those who didn't make it
As far as welfare recipients, I think they should be held accountable, for their actions, they shouldn't keep having children, they should be placed into some type of training program, they should have a 'statue of limitation' where if after a certain point of time they don't have their crap together, they will be cut off. I get that, but the ones who are working their behinds off to get out of the system shouldn't be catagorized with the ones who are using the system.
I too was a product of being raised by a grandparent, and NO I didn't receive money for my good grades, I was kicked in the behind for not having good grades, but that was then and this is now.
Things are different, times are different,some kids need that extra incentive. And apparently it's working.
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