For many years, the US public school system has been striving to increase students’ scores on such tests. Recently, a new plan was introduced, in which students, teachers, and principals can earn extra money based on the students’ performance on standardized tests. Ideally, this method encourages students to do well on these tests by rewarding them. However, the issue here is not the effectiveness of the proposal, but rather the ethical question that arises.
New York City, with the largest public school system of any city in the country, is the main supporter of this proposal; according to an article in the New York Times, more than 200 schools have instituted a money rewards system. The city has given out over $500,000 to 5,237 students in 58 schools. New York City has only used money from private donations, saving itself from the controversy that the use of public money would bring.
At J.H.S. 123, improvement has already started to show: on one test designed to mimic the state math exam, 77 percent of fourth graders met state standards, which means that this year there is a possibility that more than 80 percent of the students will pass the test.
Schools that have actually tried the plan have not only improved their scores, but also noticed a new positive attitude towards academics from students. Many teachers involved in the plan explained that giving money as a reward motivates students to work harder. Yet others remarked that they are not sure if they want to connect money to academic success.
Before making any further judgments, we should ask ourselves what impact this proposal will have over a longer period of time. First, students will understand that good actions have rewards, which in this case would be money. However, kids also will start expecting rewards in exchange for work, which eliminates any kind of love for hard work and self-sacrifice in and of themselves. This inevitably leads to kids growing up in a fantastic world where they are paid to excel as if they were vital to the world. Kids are vital to the world, but kids who are being paid to perform above a certain level in school are going to be left behind by other students who know they have to work as hard as they can in order to succeed at all irrespective of financial reward.
Now, considering the ethics of this proposal, the question is obvious: are kids being rewarded or bribed to succeed? In the perfect situation everyone wins: kids obtain money and good grades, teachers receive bonuses, and the public schools get more money and better results. It is easy to see why the government would want this plan to work.
Public education is certainly a necessary element in society, but pushing students to appreciate it is not the right way to make it work. Only within themselves can students find the motivation to study and the love for learning. Sadly, in today’s world, it is becoming more difficult to separate education from money. Yet being paid to study does not sound like the kind of education you would want your child to receive. After all, what has more value: a hundred dollars or a good work ethic?
