Most Partnership principals nix
the idea of paying for grades


Paying high school students for achieving good grades is not the way to improve academic achievement, according to members of The Principals’ Partnership. When asked “Do you think students should be paid for earning good grades or higher test scores?” in the 2008 Principals’ Partnership Poll, almost 83 percent of the 438 respondents rejected the idea.

Of the 362 principals nixing the idea of pay for grades, most reported that students should be intrinsically motivated.

“If we instill a sense of personal pride and self-discipline in students then the reward for good grades and higher test scores should be intrinsically motivating for students,” contended Leslie Kilmer, principal, Alamogordo (NM) High School.

“Success/achievement is its own reward,” believes Kent Mann, principal, Grand Island (NE) Senior High School. “That money should not be used to motivate students. I prefer intrinsic methods.”

Some principals point out that extrinsic rewards, such as paying for grades, actually can have a negative impact on students later in their lives.

“I absolutely do not think students should be paid for earning good grades,” said Susan Vivano, principal, Cleveland Naval Junior Academy, St. Louis. “Extrinsic motivation is short lived and ineffective. It is only when we internalize something that it truly becomes part of us.”

“I am not in favor of students receiving money for grades,“ indicated Gale Dunkas, principal, Fall City (NE) High School. “I think that there can be some incentives for students to learn if they don't have that desire. But the problem is what happens when those incentives go away. I hope the student has developed the habits and desire to continue to learn. Parents and schools need to find ways to help students motivate themselves intrinsically rather than extrinsically.”

“The good grades that they receive and, more importantly, the learning that takes place should be valued as 'the pay',” believes Blanca Cavazos, principal, Arivin High School, Bakersfield CA. “When we give monetary value to the learning, we completely destroy any possibility that students will value learning for the sake of becoming knowledgeable. We actually rob students of that connection.”

“Part of our responsibility as educators is to help develop responsible, accountable students,” said Brenda Lewis, principal, Foothill High School, Bakersfield, CA. “Students should not be paid for earning good grades or higher test scores. We want students to value education because it will prepare them for higher education or any job they pursue after high school, and not because we put a dollar value on education. Most students understand that as students their job is to go to school and prepare themselves for the future. The pay for their success will be their high school diploma and any honors and recognition they earn along the way.”

While the majority of principals opposed the idea of monetary payment, many supports the idea that students need to be recognized for academic achievement through incentives and scholarships.

“Payment for good grades and high test scores comes in the form of a college scholarship and a degree that opens the doors to the future,” reported Theron Murphy, principal, Timpanogos High School, Orem, UT.

“I believe in other incentives such as homework passes, lunch line passes, movie tickets, and the like,” said Nancy York, principal, Navarro Academy, San Antonio..

“There should be some incentives put in place to reward students,” recommended Debra Crump, Douglass High School, Chicago. “In many schools we focus so much attention on negative behavior. We have to uplift students who want to do good and are earning good grades. Incentives are just a way to say, ’W e believe in you. Keep up the good work. We are here to support you.’”

“I do not believe students should be paid for good grades,” said Rufus Black, principal Fairfax Campus, Kansas City, KS. “There are other incentives that are effective to help students earn good grades—field trips, awards, time to work in areas they enjoy. They may choose to go play in gym or outside, read, or play educational games.”

Deborah Kizer-Balfour, principal, Englewood High School, Chicago, believes that paying for achievement actually could harm the pride students find in obtaining good grades.

“Students who get good grades and score high on test have a sense of pride and dignity in their accomplishments,” she said. “Paying students to do what is expected of them, will lower their expectations for themselves, and the expectations of how others view the situation. Therefore, students should not be paid for earning good grades or scoring high on test.”

Other school leaders saw value in paying for grades, especially in areas where students and their families were financially stressed.

“In urban areas, where students are struggling to support themselves and helping with their families some form of financial help makes sense if we are to expect them to spend time after school studying,” pointed out Arthur Cox, principal Granger Senior High School, West Valley City, UT. “In low socio-economic areas the realities are that many students are expected to work long hours and help with the family. This would make it difficult or impossible for large groups of urban students to put in additional after school hours studying.”

In our community, the majority of our students face financial hardship daily,” said Cindi Ollis, principal, Channelview High School, Channelview, TX. “Incentives for good grades and higher test scores would be welcome. I would like to see the data regarding any schools that have implemented this type of program.”

While many principals held strong views pro or con to the pay questions, others are wrestling with the answer themselves.

“I have mixed emotions,” reported Doug Parry, principal, Sparks High School, NV. “At one point in time I would have said absolutely not. However, I know this model has been experimented with in some school systems with positive results. One of the biggest problems in education today is the lack of student motivation; this even includes our brightest students. If financial incentives raised student achievement, maybe it is something for schools to seriously look at.”

Aida Tello, principal, Sam Houston High School, Houston TX, holds a view on the payment issue that perhaps should be communicated to the students themselves.

“I believe students are paid for earning good grades and having higher test scores when they receive their diploma,” she indicated. “They are paid by having more opportunities for scholarships to attend college. The grades and test scores go so much further than students care to realize. This opens up so many doors that eventually will lead them to an excellent payoff! The long term effect is well worth every good grade and every high test score!”

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