Get paid to go to school? New bill unveiled to boost attendance rates in Ohio

Paying kids hundreds of dollars to go to school is the latest bill proposed by state representatives.

The goal is to increase the attendance rate across Ohio.

“I think it’s a great incentive for a lot of kids, I think my hope would be that the parents could just encourage them that attendance is important,” said Amanda Merick.

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Attendance is important, and that’s why the bill has been introduced in the first place to bounce back attendance rates from the pandemic.

“For kindergarteners, on the eve of the pandemic, we had 11 percent chronic absenteeism,” said Representative Dani Isaacsohn. “In the most recent school year, it was up to 29 percent.”

Isaacsohn, co-creator of the bill, said across the state rates are even higher for freshmen.

“This is the number one issue we are facing in education is an absolute emergency,” Isaacsohn said.

As a test run, the bill focuses on those two grades and will pay two schools from two separate districts where attendance is low.

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Half of the students in each grade will receive $500 for going to class, and if their attendance proves to be higher than the other half receiving nothing, then all Ohio students could be making hundreds in a few years.

“We want to see if it works. If it doesn’t work, let’s try something new,” Isaacsohn said.

For seniors graduating, they also get an incentive— $250 for walking at graduation. Even more money is handed out for having a higher GPA.

“I wish this was happening five years ago when my son was in school,” said Bryant Burton.

“I wouldn’t want it to be just to get the money,” Merick said. “I want them to go to school because hopefully, they enjoy it.”

The pilot program would cost $1.5 million taxpayer dollars to run this year and in 2025.

“I’m still paying taxes. I don’t want a whole bunch of little knuckleheads to run around here with no education,” Burton said.

News Center 7 reached out to a local school district about the proposal.

Springfield City Schools, whose attendance is close to but not at the 90 percent rate for attendance, said it’s just too early to comment on the bill and what it would mean for the students.

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