
When it comes to compensating kids for good grades, the traditional thinking has pretty much been that learning is its own reward. And if not that, the actual good grades themselves are payment.
But in recent years, a new mindset has emerged: Why not give children financial incentives for achieving good grades? After all, in “the real world,” adults get paid for doing their jobs. In fact, a few years ago, some schools in Baltimore and New York City instituted programs to pay kids for improving test scores, while a couple of suburban Atlanta schools paid some students to attend an after-school “Learn & Earn” program.
If you’re thinking of reaching into your wallet whenever an âA’ grade lands on your child’s desk, there are some findings that may interest you.
A 2010 study conducted by Harvard economist Roland Fryer involved doling out $6.3 million to 38,000 students in 261 urban school districts. Various scenarios were tested, including paying students for each book they read or for every quiz they took or for achieving perfect test scores. Fryer’s conclusions: In some cases, paying for good grades had no effect whatsoever.
Fryer, though, did find a way to get some positive results by paying students. “Kids who got paid all year under a very elegant scheme performed significantly better on their standardized reading tests at the end of the year,” explains Time. “Statistically speaking, it was as if those kids had spent three extra months in school, compared with their peers who did not get paid.” Fryer concluded that simply paying for grades alone didn’t necessarily work, since the students might not know how to get the grades. On the other hand, “Paying students to do things they could control — hand in their homework, read, dress better — did indeed bolster these activities,” explains Fast Company.
Keeping those results in mind, if you’re thinking about paying your kids for good grades, we found some thought-provoking insights on the issue:
The endgame
Once you start paying your children for good grades, how long will you keep paying them, wonders Time. After all, this practice can get expensive after a while. Plus, if you stop paying them, will their grades fall? Adds Kiplinger, “If you go the âpaycheck’ route, you have to keep raising the stakes — and once kids are old enough to earn their own money, you lose leverage.”
High grades vs. a good education
“It may be difficult for children to recognize the long-term impact of a good performance in school when they’re only anticipating their next âpaycheck,'” notes Time. Thus, parents may need to ask themselves whether any benefits of paying kids for grades compensates for the possible disregard for education itself.
Reward alternatives
“Recognize that motivating your child with the promise of a shopping trip or day at the amusement park in exchange for good grades may have the same effect since these items are still associated with a price tag,” notes Time.
The going rates
If you decide paying your kids for good grades is the way to go, you may want to know what other parents are paying. A recent Harris Interactive poll conducted on behalf of the American Institute of CPAs concluded that $16 per âA’ grade is the average going rate.
Have you ever paid your kids to get good grades? What was the pay scale?
Comment on this article
Comments
poini i. on April 16, 2013 at 10:19am
why pay there just paying kids but what if they cheat on the quiz or homework and more
school on May 1, 2013 at 11:37am
i wouldnt beacause kids need to motivate themselves
school on May 1, 2013 at 11:38am
they could get answers from friends i would only pay kids for doing chores
me on May 9, 2013 at 1:02pm
they should becuase for they can keeep learning
touriana on May 10, 2013 at 12:48pm
i think as a a student we should get paid
CAT3603 on May 13, 2013 at 11:50am
As a student we should not get paid because it is not right we should do our best.
Ally on May 15, 2013 at 1:14pm
Thanks for your response!
student on October 17, 2013 at 10:43am
I would like to pint out that the Harvard expirement does not give refrence to the payment the students receive for their grades.
Student on November 20, 2013 at 1:05pm
Well what if they are not motivated to work? What will motivate them, punishing them? Do you think that is the right way to motivate your own children?
Haley on February 24, 2014 at 2:07pm
I think it could motivate them, but you would have to make sure you paid a little at a time, don't pay a lot every time, make them work their way to get more.
Ally on February 25, 2014 at 4:51pm
Thanks for weighing in, Haley! That sounds like a great way to get them motivated, and keep them motivated!
sierra on September 29, 2014 at 10:11am
why should people take money out of their wallet the school should rely on the money not the teachers because they have a family to feed or a house but if they don't have money they will be poor
Student on December 18, 2014 at 3:16pm
As A Student It depends on the child tbh cause paying me would work but only for so long...
rgh4igu on January 20, 2015 at 1:52pm
not helpful
melody on February 18, 2015 at 8:03pm
I need more information for my speech what is the % of kids getting paid for good grades
melanie on February 27, 2015 at 1:28pm
i think its good cause kids who have good grades try hard in school and all the lazy people just sit around so they should get paid
Rashunna on March 3, 2015 at 12:30pm
I'm a student and I think we deserve to get paid , especially for those Of us who already have excellent grades
jatelin on November 9, 2015 at 10:16am
thats a good aproinet
Student on December 8, 2015 at 10:10am
I think we should get paid for good grades because we are getting paid for good grades and we might even be excited to go to school.
Jerry G. on February 20, 2017 at 11:52pm
I have 3 Daughters. I told them C's are pretty mediocre. B's are ok they mean "good". "Oh, by the way, I do pay for for A's if you want to get them." Long story short-ALL my girls were A Students! Once they were A Students, they were so proud of themselves, they really didn't need them be paid! Did I bribe them? Or did I teach them about the world?-"If you perform, you get the goodies!" My two oldest girls are Sucessful and Employed with good jobs and are professionals. My youngest daughter is an A student in a Top University. They all went to Top Univetsiities because they were all A Students-and they are still proud of themselves for being Hard Workers and being A Students! It is a great thing to do. Teach them about Life! Hard Workers who do an Excellent job get paid and are Successful! Pay them enough to get their attention! I am very glad I did this, and am very proud of them, and so are they!
Ally on February 21, 2017 at 10:06am
Hi Jerry, thanks for sharing this story! We're glad to hear that you found a system that served your family well.
leroy D. on March 23, 2017 at 10:36am
I started paying my daughter for grades towards the end of elementary school as a way to keep her focused. My daughter is already very bright but is not challenged by the system and often gets bored. I spoke to the teachers to assign her extra work and they would not as in their minds it will make the other kids in the class feel bad. To keep her motivated I only pay her for grades on the report card. She gets paid for each grade on the report card according to how well she did. Ever since doing this I have never had to ask her to do homework or turn them in on time. Nor have I needed to tell her to study or do her best at all times thus she always gets A's. She is a shoe freak and since those things cost me money I put it back on her where she earns the money for her shoes with her good grades. So she now also gets a second lesson here with money management as she will NOT spend her hard earned money on expensive shoes...LOL.
Robert l. on December 21, 2017 at 5:18am
When I was a kid going to school , keveryday my dad would say "bring me HUNDREDS" (on tests)and when I did he'd take me to the drug store that had a fountain area with ice cream..Chocolate Ice Cream sundaes was my REWARD .yum..
Ally on January 3, 2018 at 10:08am
Sounds delicious, Robert! Thanks for sharing.
Jeff on February 21, 2018 at 11:08pm
I believe that students shouldn't get paid because taking money for "A grades" is basically a bribe even though paying students money is a good idea, I strongly believe against this claim because as a father of three daughters I want my family to excel at everything but not to give them a cash reward but to get them treats and other things they like
janet on May 9, 2018 at 2:23pm
I believe that our children should not be paid for good grades because they don't want to learn, they want the money.
vcxswerty7uijkbhvgfdr5678iyugj[plohyju g. on May 9, 2018 at 2:38pm
NO!!! NOT GOOD!!! THEY MUST BE FOCUSED ON THEIR EDUCATION!!!
andrew on May 21, 2018 at 11:21am
we should not pay students because it will cause a lot of problems.