Money for Test Scores

New York, June 18, 2008 – In a growing number of schools around the country, students can receive anywhere from $25 to $500 for improving their scores on standardized tests. In an online poll that took place from March through May, 2008, visitors to TeachersCount.org were asked to offer their opinions on how monetary rewards could affect student achievement.

A total of 181 respondents, 124 of whom described themselves as educators, participated in the poll.  Participants chose among the following possible responses:

• It is very beneficial.
• It is somewhat beneficial.
• It is somewhat detrimental.
• It is very detrimental.
• It is neither beneficial nor detrimental.
• Not sure.

Overall, 38.1% of respondents said that monetary rewards are somewhat or very beneficial to improvement on standardized tests, while 44.7% said that monetary rewards are somewhat or very detrimental to student achievement.  Another 5.5% said there is no impact and 11.6% were undecided about the impact of money rewards on student achievement.

However, it seems that more voters were strongly in opposition to the idea of monetary rewards than strongly in favor of the policy. Out of the total respondents who feel that money rewards are detrimental, 62% said that they are very detrimental and only 38% said that they are somewhat detrimental. On the other hand, out of the total voters who believe that this policy is beneficial, 61% said that giving money rewards is somewhat beneficial, while only 39% voted for “very beneficial.” In addition, it seems that many more non-educators support monetary rewards than educators do. Only 38.8% of the voters who identified themselves as educators support giving money to students for higher test scores, while 59.6% of non-educators support this policy.

The poll invited respondents to comment, and many of them did. Below is a sampling of comments arranged by response.

“Money for test scores is very beneficial to student achievement.” – 15.5%

• “Testing in and of itself does not seem to offer anything of value to students. A small dollar reward is part of real life, and is the added incentive many students need to ‘do their best.”
•  “I believe it helps students work harder on getting a better score. If they want the money, they will work harder, and they will study harder to make a better score.”

“Money for test scores is somewhat beneficial to student achievement.” – 22.7%

• “I can see this benefiting only those students who are motivated monetarily, which says more about who they are than what they are capable of. I can see this being slightly or somewhat detrimental to those students who are not motivated financially. They might view this as an endorsement to become that way.”
• “Unfortunately, most of today's children have not learned that hard work will eventually pay off and it will give them a feeling of accomplishment for getting the job done.  Money as a motivator is not the best idea, but it could help many children strive for improved grades.”

“Money for test scores is somewhat detrimental to student achievement.” – 16.6%

• “I believe that this fosters the wrong ideas about school, discipline, and life to our students. Most of them begin to work only for the reward, but what happens when they encounter a situation where there is no immediate reward to them?”
• “Giving kids money to increase test scores is bribing.  Why not teach kids from the start to strive to achieve high-test scores for their own personal success?”

“Money for test scores is very detrimental to student achievement.” – 28.2%

• “Knowledge and skills are our tools to survive in this world.  Students should not be given cash incentives to do well on any test in school.  I'm aware that all students do not have that intrinsic good feeling when they achieve in school, but giving money to achieve sends the wrong message.  Everything worth having in life cannot be bought with money.”
• “Students should have the intrinsic motivation to want to do well. For too many years, our educational system has gotten away from encouraging students to garner self-esteem from working hard and achieving success to the detriment of too many of our students.”

“Money for test scores is neither beneficial nor detrimental to student achievement.” – 5.5%

• “Real student achievement cannot be measured using standardized tests. It can only be assessed by looking at an ongoing compilation of authentic student work.”

“It is unclear whether money for test scores is beneficial or detrimental.” – 11.6%

• “I think that in a society where people are rewarded for doing a good job, I think that perhaps it would help.  However, what about the educators that work hard and do not get compensated for their efforts? Hmmm....a controversy!”