In recent months, some school districts in Texas have been considering to pay their students for making good grades. Typically, this is being considered in school districts with low test scores and low grade point averages overall.
Receiving money for making good grades would be incentive to many if not all children to do their work and do it well. The concern lies within the ethics of the idea as a whole. Is it right to bribe students for their work and knowledge? What will the students do with the money? Ethics regarding this topic are free for exploration, although my argument emerges elsewhere.
If Texas school districts have sufficient funds to pay their students for making good grades, why can’t Texas universities and colleges work with Texas legislators to request funding to reward students who have been making good grades in high school all along? One possibility would be creating a reduction in tuition, or offering other incentive based opportunities to students in high school, who will eventually be in college. For example, if a student has made all A’s in high school, that student should be entitled to a reduction in their tuition cost. This would not leave the student free to spend money granted to them any way they wish, but it would go directly to aid in funding for their higher education.
One argument that is brought up is that students’ incentive to making good grades is automatic acceptance to Texas colleges and universities due to the top ten percent rule. This is a great incentive, although we must consider the financial implications. For example, individuals who “make the cut,” and are forced to decline acceptance because they cannot afford the high cost of tuition. Tuition has increased roughly forty percent since my brother began college in 2001, and there is no indication of lower tuition prices at this time.
I think it would be a very intelligent decision for Texas legislators to consider reducing tuition costs for students who made all A’s in high school. Not only would it be incentive for the students to perform well while in high school, but it may also allow some students the opportunity to attend the college of their first choice. I believe that Texas’ government should work harder at reducing college tuition rates for top performing students, but I do not believe higher education should be free.
Should Texas Consider Reducing Tuition Costs?
ReplyDeleteI am intrigued by the article about some Texas school districts considering paying their students for making good grades. As is pointed out in this article, receiving money for good grades would be an incentive to students to keep grades up and work well in school. I am not sure if this is proposed for students looking to enter college as high school seniors, or those students who are already in college and who maybe have made the dean’s list.
Personally, I agree with the idea of lowering tuition costs. Ever since state schools have been allowed to remove the cap from tuition rates and charge upwards of 300 dollars a semester hour, it does make it more difficult for certain students to afford some of the larger state universities. However, I cannot justify lowering tuition fees, or awarding free tuition, for only those students who make good grades.
The top ten percent incentive is great. I think that is the key for students who make good grades. This way they have no concern about being accepted into the college of their choice here in Texas. As for tuition costs, I don’t feel it is appropriate to lower costs for anyone based on grades, especially not to make their college tuition free. There exist scholarships and grants for those students with good grades. There are so many scholarships and grants available that go unused each semester. Students just need to know how to find them.
Going to college is a privilege and should be treated that way. Doing well in classes is something that each student in college should desire in order to get a better job and possibly go to graduate school. It is not something that can be awarded to students who desire to do well for some form of compensation.
I understand that tuition costs are up and it is hard to afford school when you are from a family with multiple children in college. But, universities can use this “excess” money they want to award students with good grades to help lower tuition costs for everyone. Though it would not be much, every little bit helps.
As stated before, there are plenty of grants and scholarships for those students with great grades in high school and in college. I am saying we should deny students who work hard, but in college you cannot make certain exceptions or promotions for one or a few individual students when all students need deductions in tuition. There are too many students who work too hard and make great grades for this money to go to a select number of students.