Incentive-Based Attendance: A Study on Monetary Rewards for High School Students
What if incentivizing students with money could improve school attendance? This question was put to the test in a recent study conducted in New Orleans and Indianapolis, where high school students from low- and middle-income families received $50 weekly. The initiative aimed to assess whether financial support could keep students in school.
NPR’s Juana Summers discussed the study with Jonathan Johnson, founder and CEO of Rooted School Foundation. Johnson explained that the idea stemmed from a significant drop in attendance during 2020, from 85% to 60%. The main reason, as reported by families, was financial necessity; students were working or caring for siblings instead of attending school. Johnson stated, “We tested the simplest solution – just give them money.”
Over the course of 40 weeks, each participating student received a total of $2,000. The study revealed that students in the treatment group attended 1.23 more days of school per semester than those who did not receive the payments. Although the study did not show a statistically significant improvement in students’ GPAs, Johnson noted the challenge of measuring academic success over just one semester and suggested that longer-term studies might yield more insights.
Addressing potential concerns about the financial efficacy of such a program, Johnson argued, “There are very few interventions…with randomized control trial evidence behind them.” He believes that extending the program could potentially provide more substantial educational benefits.
The program utilized debit cards, allowing for an analysis of how students spent the money. It was found that 45.8% of the funds were used for essential items like food, and approximately 12% for transportation. Interestingly, students managed to save an average of $300 by the end of the program. Johnson remarked that the responsible spending habits were unexpected, stating, “The fact that students were given this money without conditions and…demonstrating that with the increased trust they could be responsible, they could be reliable, was something that I didn’t anticipate at the start.”
As for moral concerns about paying students to attend school, Johnson acknowledged the initial apprehensions but emphasized the positive outcomes, “Small amounts of money create big impacts in educational outcomes.” He believes that this approach could be significant for those invested in student success and workforce development.
Jonathan Johnson’s insights highlight the potential for financial incentives to play a role in educational engagement. The Rooted School Foundation’s experiment presents a unique perspective on addressing attendance issues in schools.
