Blog: Today On The Clark Howard Show - March 9, 2007

Added March 9, 2007 by Ilyce Glink

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Do you think kids should be paid $100 for every AP test they pass? A new initiative from the non-profit National Math and Science Initiative (www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/progs/mathscience/index.html), will pay kids $100 for every AP test they pass with a 3 or better. Teachers will be paid as much as $5,000 or more. A $125 million grant from Exxon Mobile will help fund the initiative, but the nonprofit is hoping to raise nearly $1 billion as it moves nationally.

Does it work? According to the College Board, which conducted a test on 10 Texas schools from 1996 to 2006, the number of kids passing AP tests increased more than eight-fold as the training/incentive program was implemented. In 1990, before the program was started, less than 100 kids passed these tests. Last year, more than 800 students passed.

What do you think? Here's what one Clark Howard Listener said:

Comment about 3-9 Clark show - Exxon paying $100 for each passed AP test - I'm horrified! Parents spend hundreds for their kids to take these tests ($83 each - we paid >$400 last year for just one of our kids) - if anyone should be "reimbursed" it's them. And I'm a believer that kids should strive to do well because doing well IS the reward (and doing well on AP tests provides college credit and helps them to be accepted to college). Thanks.

Published: Mar 9, 2007

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