A Cincinnati charter school is taking a new approach to solving an old problem. As of this week, Dohn Community High School is paying students to do the things that they already should be doing. The school’s seniors can earn a $25 Visa Gift Card each week if they achieve perfect attendance, exhibit timeliness, participate in class and stay out of trouble. Underclassmen can earn $10 per week for the same behaviors. Moreover, each time a student earns a gift card, $5 is placed in an account that will be payable to them upon successful graduation. The program is being funded by private donations and federal Work Investment Act and managed by the Easter Seals. The cost of the program is approximately $40,000-a-year for this school alone.
It may seem a little crazy to some that these kids are being paid to do what all kids do—go to school. Only, these kids weren’t going to school. Dohn’s attendance rate was at 84%, with only 14% of students graduating. And though it is certainly not the norm, this is not the first time a program of this nature has been established to benefit education. Some of them have been successful, others have not. However, it should be noted that these programs are more successful when they require students to attend school rather than to achieve favorable grades or outcomes.
So is it worth it? Is it even a good idea? Geoffrey Canada, founder of Harlem Children’s Zone, seems to think so. He stated, “Look, I’d love kids to attend class for the intrinsic value, and until then, I’d love them to do it for the money. I just want them to do it.” Whether you are in agreement with this approach or not, Canada’s statement is hard to refute. It may seem wrong to reward some kids for doing what is expected of all kids but if it is the only way to drive education in certain socioeconomic areas, isn’t it worth it? The underlying question seems to be, can we put a price tag on developing an educated society?
