Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores?

            Having schools offer money as an incentive for students to work harder to get good grades is a good idea. Students who receive rewards for their good grades in their classes will get them to try harder and pay more attention in class. They will then learn that hard work pays off in the end and they will have a rewarding feeling of accomplishment. The proposed incentive does not have to be a lot either. It could be twenty dollars for an A, ten dollars for a B, five dollars for a C, and no reward for D’s or F’s. The incentive could be used in only core classes. Students who are in an advanced placement class could receive a higher reward for passing the AP exam.

            I think that the cash bonus for good grades could lead to a raise in cheating in schools. That issue could be avoided by making it harder for students to cheat. One way is to give out multiple versions of the same test. Another way is by giving a caught cheater an automatic F on the assignment. Academic dishonesty could be prevented by making cheaters pay the school and receive the failing grade.