Paying for A’s: An Early Exploration of Student Reward and Incentive Programs in Charter Schools

Introduction Recent public attention has spotlighted the use of reward programs for K-12 public school students. In districts such as Baltimore, Fulton County, Georgia, or New York City, the efforts of educators to structure reward systems are being met with support, skepticism and indignation. The programs use a variety of incentives such as cash or mp3 players as incentives to shape individual student behavior including, among other things, high school attendance, continuing enrollment or academic performance. Districts and schools also use rewards such as social events or concerts to reward school wide attainment of desirable outcomes, such as improved school-wide safety or attendance. The natural laboratory of charter schools offers a unique chance to investigate the performance implications of such programs.