Detroit high school students to be paid for perfect attendance

DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Detroit Public Schools Community District has a new incentive to draw high school students to class.

Teens with perfect attendance are being paid $200 every other week to combat absenteeism which is a huge problem.

A retired principal said the key is helping students and thinking outside of the box.

"I think people are thinking 'Oh we’re trying to pay students to come to school and that’s not the case," said Dr. Tonya Norwood.

Detroit public high schools returned from winter break with a new program to consider if they’re struggling with absenteeism. It is called the "Perfect Attendance Pays" initiative.

"I truly support it because again, a lot of our students have a lot of challenges," Norwood said.

By the numbers:

The way it works:

DPSCD has designated five different two-week periods.

• Jan. 6-17
• Jan. 20-31
• Feb. 3-14
• Feb. 24-March 7
• March 10-21

If a student comes to a school during the designated two-week periods, between January and March, then they'll be rewarded with $200 for each one they complete, potentially earning up to $1,000.

Norwood, who was with the district for 25 years, including as a principal, applauds the program.

"When you’re going to school seven hours a day, you go home and you have to now take care of your brothers and sisters," she said. "But oftentimes our students go to jobs. So now they’re spending six or seven hours at jobs and then they come home after that, now they have to cook for their siblings."

They then wake up tired the next day and can easily miss the bus.

"Even though you know I’m retired now, I still see them outside when I’m dropping my son off - he’s in 9th grade," Norwood said. "But I take him to school every day and I see students catching the bus all day."

What they're saying:

She says putting money in their pocket can help them pay for bus fare - and also help their parents.

"I think a lot of people don’t understand, a lot of our kids support their families," she said. "They support their families. So it may be a mom that’s living by herself, it might be a dad living by himself."

DPSCD leaders say they are excited about the program. The district said in a statement:

"As you should know, attending school everyday matters! In fact, DPSCD students are three to five times more likely to be at and above grade level performers on state assessments and to be college ready as if they miss 18 or fewer days of school a year."

So they hope it will keep more kids in the classroom, help their families along the way.

"It’s not a competition," Norwood said. "It’s not like this mom can provide and this mom can’t. at some point we do have to just think about doing something different. and from what I’m seeing right now, it’s working."