Cash incentives? Worked for some teachers, though with uncertain results. Do bonuses accelerate student learning? Dunno. Has extra pay meant better instruction? Can’t tell.

Armed with such definitive findings, the Baltimore City Public School System is embarking on a questionable plan to use much the same approach on students.

Though she expressed reservations, state Superintendent Nancy Grasmick recently gave the green light to the initiative, which would award up to $110 to high school students who improve upon their initial scores on state graduation exams.

Does anyone see something wrong with this? Apparently quite a few people do, in particular the staff at New York City schools where a similar program was implemented.
No surprise, the person behind the initiative there was Andres Alonso, who left the nation’s largest school system as deputy chancellor to become Baltimore’s chief of schools in July.

According to news accounts, the program drew mixed responses and high controversy in the Big Apple, dividing teachers who believed money wouldn’t inspire students to embrace learning against those willing to try anything to raise student achievement levels.

Granted, the programs are a little bit different. New York City’s plan was funded with private money, targeted toward younger students, and centered simply around cash incentives for students. In Baltimore, the plan would be publicly funded, aimed toward high schoolers and include a wide array of strategies to help struggling students pass high stakes test, including tutoring and additional training for teachers.

Still, I have a problem with bribing students to do well in school. Money can make people do things they wouldn’t otherwise, but it won’t make them like it or stick to it in the long run.

Naomi Dillon, Senior Editor