Sen. Fletcher Hartsell today will introduce a legislation that he is calling the “Education Recovery Act,” which would give $1,000 annually to students in grades 1-12 for going to school and participating. The bill states to “retain the full $1,000, the student and the student’s parent or guardian will have to meet academic, disciplinary, attendance, character, and other goals. Failure to meet the goals will result in forfeiture of funds.”
The maximum award is $12,000. According to the bill, the amount would be increased if a student enters the teaching profession.
This is like giving a student a roster bonus (to compare to sports contract bonus provisions) as an award for doing something that should be done without incentives. For the record, I’d like a bonus for showing up for work on time.
Taxpayers already pay for K-12 education and the majority of the total costs to send a student to a college or university. We then provide funding, both on the state and federal levels, for a multitude of grants and financial aid programs that lessen the small percentage of costs that students and parents must pay.
So why then should we create another entitlement program in education?
