Why Do Students Get Paid For Good Grades

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“Beginning in 2007, his [Roland Fryer Jr.] project paid out $6.3 million to students in 261 urban schools...from low-income families” (Sandel 52). As a result, paying students for good grades has an impact on many people, not only students but teachers as well. Students should be paid for good grades because they will be able to save the money they earn for the future, it will motivate them to do well in school, and it will increase their scores on AP exams. With the money that students earn for their good grades, they can save it for their future. According to student Brett Upperman, “‘Kids need money so we can save it for college. And I want to buy a house someday…’”(“Cashing In” 2). Whether a student wants to attend a community college, …show more content…

According to student reporter Joseph Maneen, “Studies have shown that rewards can motivate students to attend school and that the more kids are in school, the more they learn” (“Cash Courses” 1). Teachers cover topics more in-depth than a school textbook does, so for a student to understand what the teachers are teaching they must be present in the classroom. Some may say that being rewarded with money doesn’t help improve our success in subjects we don’t like, but student Katelyn Vlastaris says, “‘If you reward us with money, it may motivate us to do great in subjects we don’t like, and then we’ll start doing well by ourselves’” (“Cashing In”). Once a student gets involved in a subject they are unsure about, they start to learn about it and understand it better, and the students will continue to grow in that subject area. According to the author of “Cash Courses”, “The monetary rewards motivate many kids, especially those from underprivileged families, to come to class when they would otherwise stay home” (“Cash Courses” 1). Students who come from families who do not have a lot of money, will want to attend school to earn extra money to use for themselves to buy basic necessities. Rewards motivate students to attend school; therefore, they obtain more knowledge given by the teacher …show more content…

Michael J. Sandel, the author of What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets, says, “...the Advanced Placement incentive programs in Texas and elsewhere have had a positive effect...many [students] are passing the standardized exams that qualify them for college credit” (Sandel 54). This benefit of earning college credit in high school saves the students from taking these college level courses in college when they could be focusing on more in-depth classes. According to expert Jay Mathews, “Every English, Math or Science AP test...with a passing grade from independent College Board readers meant a $100 check for the student and another for the teacher. Checks totaling $90,800 went to the students and $145,370 to the teachers” (Mathews 1). This monetary reward is quite the motivation for students to study and work hard on their AP exams. Expert Rebecca Ruiz said, “Today Mr. Nystrom teaches AP statistics to eight times as many students as he used to, and this year 70 percent of them scored high enough to qualify for college credit, compared with 50 percent before” (Ruiz 1). This increase in AP test scores shows that the rewards offered are in fact motivating these students to work harder preparing for these exams. Any programs that offer rewards to students for excelling on their AP exams will see an increase in the scores on the

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