All over the United States, educators are realizing what motivates students and their parents… money. A new project called Opportunity NYC. Opportunity NYC is a program targeted at lower income families that rewards them and their children for doing what they should for their child’s education. Getting a library card? $50 Passing a state test? $600 Get your yearly physical? $200 In all, the Opportunity NYC program allows for parents to earn up to $6000 a year for their child’s school performance.

Even my darling fifth graders, whom I have introduced to you previously, have been faced with similar offers. The students are required to take the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in three subjects, Math, Reading, and Science. It takes a score of 3 to pass with 5 being the highest score possible. The students were offered $100 check for every exam they passed with a score of 5. When asked their opinion, the responses mirror those of their adult counterparts. The vast majority of the students feel great about possibly getting money for their scores. They see school as their job, so why shouldn’t it pay. A few other non-profit students prefer not being bribed to perform. These few believe that getting paid for the performance is wrong think that getting paid takes away their pride in their performance.

So what do we do, teach students to be self motivated unsuccessfully or pay them for performance? Paying gives better results, but should state education money really be divvied up this way?