Atkins Survey: Should Students Get Paid for Good Grades?

Just like our parents, Julia and I have always emphasized to our kids how important education is.  Whether it was reading to them at bedtime, helping with homework, attending parent-teacher conferences, or volunteering at school, we did all that we could to help them get a great education.

Well, we did almost all that we could.  Some of our friends also rewarded their kids for the grades they received.  I’m not just talking about a trip to Dairy Queen.  I’m talking about cold hard cash.  They paid their kids for good grades.  Most common was $10 for an A and $5 for a B, but one of our friends paid more.  They reasoned that school was their child’s job, and the child ought to be rewarded for doing well, just like they would in the workplace.  Most of our friends, though, like us, didn’t go that route.

But now, a hot topic in education circles is whether students generally ought to be rewarded for how they do on tests.  One recent study concluded that students perform noticeably better on standardized tests when offered a financial or non-financial incentive just prior to taking the test. 

The question is, is it right?  And where does paying students for how they do on tests eventually lead?

While I am intrigued by anything that improves student achievement, I must admit that paying students based on their performance on a test makes me really uncomfortable.  It may be a creative approach, but there’s just something about it that doesn't sit well.  Do we end up in a bidding war where the kids demand higher prices?  Do we lose the intrinsic value of a good education?  These are just a few of the questions that come immediately to mind.

I look forward to comments and input, either by posting below, by emailing me at Rep.Joe.Atkins@house.mn, or by weighing in on my survey at www.facebook.com/State.Rep.Joe.Atkins.  Thank you.