It Works, Except When it Doesn't...

In this month's edition of the Harvard Graduate School of Education Magazine, there is an interesting article about the use of financial incentives. While researchers certainly have strong opinions, there does not seem to be a consensus around the use of financial incentives. What does this mean for an organization, like Reach, that uses compensation as a component of programming?

Without doubt, the motivation facilitated through financial incentives is not the most important aspect of our work. Our goals: improve student engagement, increase student motivation, and teach students to believe in their ability to improve. For students that have experienced previous academic failure, like those at The BIFF Paradigm Project, financial incentives simply encourage students to take the first step. Additionally, students learn about the relationship between academic success and financial rewards - a relationship that remains long after graduation.

That is not to say that financial incentives are the solution to all our problems. We must also convince kids to value education - yes, as BIFF's director states, this is a bait and switch. I regularly state that we, as educators, often focus on how kids can improve academic performance, but we rarely answer a simple question: why?

While there is some overlap, there are some distinct differences between Reach and the programs mentioned in this article. Reach's compensation system acknowledges that our teenage tutors are actually providing a service, not simply being rewarded for academic outcomes. Additionally, instead of rewarding mastery - for example, making honor roll - we reward improvement, regardless of the student's starting point.

While we have not achieved certainty in researching financial incentives, we do know that those students that enter high school without adequate literacy skills face dire consequences. While a complete educational revolution is likely needed, we must take immediate steps to identify avenues to improved outcomes.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Mark