Paid For Grade?

An exceptional story about a nationwide experiment that took place in hundreds of schools, to find out if students as young as eight years old, to students as mature as 15, were motivated to strive for better grades, if paid.

Students eagerly waiting in line to receive their paychecks

       Roland Fryer, a economist professor at Harvard University, led a research group who paid 18,000 students to see whether or not they were motivated by money. Many predicted that for most kids, money was their solution. To run this experiment, it cost them a total of $6.3 million. What Fryer didn’t know, was that this would upset several parents. As a matter of fact, he even received a couple of death threats. They, like all parents, wanted their children to become self-motivated adults. What would happen when they took those incentives away? Fryer simply replied,

“I never said [this] was going to solve all education problems. I just thought it deserved to be tested.”

       Statistics proved that offering money to numerous kids, did not effect their grades much. Eagerly awaiting their paycheck, the ninth graders earned an average of almost up to $700. The students in Dallas, Texas, seemed to be extremely motivated by money, whereas students in New York didn't care for money. The two schools that were most dramatically impacted had one thing in common. The majority of the students that attended those schools were either African American or Hispanic, and also came from poorer families. This showed that they were the ones most excited about money. When they wanted to earn more and more, the researchers told them they could by raising their test scores. However, instead of choosing options like staying after school to ask for help from a teacher, they searched test taking strategies. Money ruled education.

      Second graders were given two dollars per book, earning an average of $13.91, and the results were promising- reading comprehension scores were boosted. Middle school students in Washington were given $100 every two weeks. Furthermore, the average student earned $532.85, and reading skills, as well as attendance and behavior, got positive results. Fourth and seventh graders in New York City earned about $200, depending on grade, but there seemed to be no effect. Lastly, ninth-graders in Chicago gave mixed results.

To see if it was coincidence or not, I interviewed some students in Stoller Middle school. I was curious to see what they would say. If you were given money for better grades- $50 for A’s, $35 for B’s, and $20 for C’s, would you work harder and strive higher? “That’s what my parents used to do last year. They promised me an iPod Touch for a 4.0, which I didn’t get it. So yeah, I would.” says eighth grader Bona Yang. “Yeah, no duh.” says eighth grader Kevin Huang. Do you think this experiment was a good idea, given that once the money was taken away, parents worried that students would slack off again? “I think it was for kids who were lazy and sort of behind. And a lot of people want money. I love money.” says eighth grader Teresa Shaw. Eighth grader Emily Cress said “I think it’s a good idea because it tells them that if you get good grades, you get stuff, which is essentially true.” What are you motivated by? Self-motivated or do your parents give you money? “Self motivated. I hate it when people tell me what to do.” says Cress. If you were first paid money and then it was later taken away, would you still continue to work hard? “Yes, because I am just that kind of person and when I get an A every single day, it’ll be hard to change that habit.” says Shaw.

As you can see, students may not necessarily get better grades with the motivation of money. However, it is mentioned that students are willing to increase more controllable variables for money, like attendance and participation. In addition to that, students who worked harder for grades actually turned out to do worse than before, now that the motives were taken away. So next time you bribe a child, think twice.

By Jenny N.