Better than a good grade

Once upon a time, students were simply expected to do well in school. Good grades and a brighter future were the reward.

The new vogue is that kids will respond better to monetary rewards. School is their job, so pay them when they perform well, right? At the end of last year's legislative session, at least one Florida senator predicted such a move was on its way to the state, soon. (See that prescient story here.)

Well, state Rep. Anitere Flores (left) has taken the first step to put the concept into Florida law. Flores, a Miami Republican who chairs the House K-12 Education Committee, filed a bill this morning that would offer bonuses to students who score well in IB, AP and other high-level exams. The breakdown would go like this:

• $50 for a 3 or better on an AP exam.
• $50 for an E or higher on the full credit Advanced International Certificate of Education exam. ($25 for the half-credit version.)
• $50 for a 4 or higher on the International Baccalaureate exam.
• $50 for an A or B in a dual-enrollment course.

Teachers could get in on the act, too. Educators who teach dual-enrollment classes would receive bonuses of $50 per student who makes an A or B in the class. If they work in a D- or F-rated school, the teachers would get $500 if at least one of their dual enrollment students earns an A or a B.

Flores aims to push students to higher achievement levels. And her bill also recognizes that not every student has the same opportunities. So she further would require all Florida high schools to offer a minimum of four Advanced Placement classes - one each in English, math, science and social studies - by the 2008-09 school year.

Comments

[The BoBo]

You want children to learn??? Let the teachers actually teach. Stop teaching the kids how to pass the FCAT. Stop paying for 6 layers of administration and start paying for books for the kids. Next, find real teachers instead of pedophiles using our schools to lure our children. Let the teachers take control of their classrooms instead of letting the monkeys rule the zoo! Paying kids to learn is the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

[Timmy!]

How about this:

Charge school tuition starting with 9th grade. No more free school. Then, offer rebates for good grades.

Oh, and make the first 8 years actually mean something so that if a kid doesn't want to continue he/she can at least perform at the 9th grade level.

Scholarship? Why not? On a year-to-year basis.

The dual enrollment award is the dumbest of all. A 3 credit hr. course at a college that charges $80/credit hour is worth $240. Then add on costs for books-say $200. The student is getting $440 course for free-and then they get $50 for an A or B. That is gilding the lily.

BTW, it is usually way easier to get an A or B in dual enrollment than passing AP test.

[Gilbert R. Ford]

This has got be one of the most obnoxiuos things I have heard. Paying students to got to school. Let me propose this to you: suppose you have a special needs child that is excelling (doing the best that they possibly can) yet they are falling short by the standards of this half thought out propsal. Are we to deny payment to them because they did not quote "pass" make an A, B or E? If so then what are we to do? They tried, so you cannot withold the payment. As a taxpayer it is not my job to pay someone elses kid to do good in school! It is the parents job, to pay them! Afterall they are getting a TAX PAID free education and if they chose to blow it or not study hard, then the parents should be made to reimburse the school system. We are making it far too easy on our kids! Whatever happened to the days when you worked hard for what you get and you appreciated it just that much more? Bunch of nonsense. In this economy, where on earth will we find this type of additional money?

[terminator]

this is one of Jeb's lame ideas (paying students)
where will the money come from (especially in a down money year)?
maybe Jeb and his fatcat buddies will pony up some cash (but I doubt it)
they'll try to stick taxpayers with the tab (same old same old).
without amendment this bill is DOA