Poll: Do you support pay-for-performance?
 |
Last week, we asked you if you thought schools should assign a reading list for students during their summer vacation. While some of you felt students should have a break in the summer, most of you felt summer reading is important, whether or not the books are on a required list. Thanks for your insightful comments!
On Wednesday, Insideschools covered the awards reception for the REACH program, which gives money to students who pass AP exams. REACH is not one-of-a-kind; in June 2007, we blogged about Opportunity NYC, another program that offers students monetary incentives for good grades. A few months later, our former student blogger, Seth, let us know how the NYC Student Union reacted to the program. Now we’d like to know what you think! Do you support paying students for performance? Vote now and let us know why (or why not) below!
Subscribe to 
I have no problems with parents giving their children an incentive here or there, but the schools giving out money to kids for passing test and getting good grades makes the school experience a job. It sends the wrong message. I’m OK with schools giving out prizes (not money) for the top students in a grade or class.
Comment by MisterBigs — August 7, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I’m open to things that improve performance as measured by work and test scores in the short term, retention of learning and continued success in the long term.
Comment by ben — August 7, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
It has been my experience that students who care about doing well and succeeding in school will do so, with or without a pecuniary incentive. They will do it for themselves and their futures, and/or because they are genuinely interested in learning and making themselves well-balanced, cultured human beings. Students who do it just for the money are obviously children who are capable of doing well, but for some reason just don’t have the motivation to do so. It should be our duty to give these capable students that motivation; otherwise, we will lose a generation of capable youth. If we are in a position to motivate students and don’t do so, we are failing them.
However, we must consider that, due to inherent intellectual, social, and economic differences, the definition of “good” grades varies from pupil to pupil. Someone who lives in a poor family and has to work long hours after school to help in supporting it clearly needs money, but may not have the time or energy to study after an exhausting day. To offer such a student a pecuniary incentive for doing well when he has fewer opportunities to do so is insulting. So, to ensure fairness, maybe students like this should be paid in advance: that way, they don’t have to work after school and have more time to apply themselves academically. Then, if they show progress, they keep the money; if not, it’s taken back or they don’t get any mor. Give them a fair opportunity, a chance: those who want and need it will seize it; those who don’t, won’t.
Comment by Michael — August 8, 2009 @ 4:23 pm
hard work = good results
Comment by hate TWEED — August 10, 2009 @ 9:39 am
So, hate TWEED…
You support pay for performance for students, but are against parents’ associations being allowed to raise their own funds and keep them.
Meaning, in your opinion…
If a student works hard, or is naturally smart, he deserves to be rewarded with taxpayer money. And he shouldn’t have to share with anyone less hard-working or intelligent.
But if a parents’ association works hard, they shouldn’t get anything. Or they should have to give some of it to other parents’ associations that didn’t work nearly as hard or aren’t as good at it.
Hypocritical much?
Comment by Anna — August 10, 2009 @ 10:58 am
If its a qwuestion of teachers getting extra pay for kids’ test performance, then I think kids should get an equal amount.
I reluctantly voted yes to the queston beacuse i fear that all the rewards are going to the teachers. I do agree with parents giving kids rewards for good work in school. My father used to pay us for poems, painted seashells, emboidery. Kept us busy at creative pursuits.
Comment by Judith — August 10, 2009 @ 11:18 am
Anna you got me mistaken,
The only reason I think that schools that have the money to pay for assistants is not fair it is because every public school should have the same resources educationally. And having an extra teacher in the classroom makes a real big difference. But rewarding students is just preparing them for life and the world ahead of them. Don’t be to focussed on tax payer money because there are one million things this city doesn’t need being spent with tax payers money
Comment by hate TWEED — August 11, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Life and the world ahead of them = getting more $$$ for better performance.
PAs with better performance get more $$$$.
I support pay for performance…and I support PAs raising every cent they can get their hands on. Working harder and being more inventive deserves more, no matter what the age or what form it takes.
There’s no such thing as a level playing field–good grades are easier for some kids because they have higher IQs. Raising money is easier for some PAs because they are in more affluent areas. Real life means using every advantage you can to better your situation.
I agree with Anna, it’s ridiculous to support paying students for grades but disallow the same thing for their parents!
Comment by Shan — August 12, 2009 @ 10:41 am