The Oakland Unified School District has started a pilot program to get students to regularly show up for class. Students who go to all seven schools in the city during the current school year will receive a $50 relief check every week as part of this program. Before the summer of 2024, 100 students had already signed up for the school, which will run for 10 weeks at first.
Students must do two major things to be eligible for this incentive: they must go to all of their classes Monday through Friday and take part in a mental health evaluation. This two-part requirement shows a thorough method that aims to improve both attendance and the overall health and safety of students.
Where the money for stimulus checks comes from
The program is paid for by the money schools get from students who show up. In California, as in many other places, how much money schools get depends on how many students are even there. This means that when a student doesn’t show up for school, the school loses some of the money it normally gets. As a result, increasing attendance is good for both the kids and the schools that are involved.
The school has also received a large grant of $200,000 from Education First, the NoVo Foundation, and Rockefeller Philanthropy. The funding has been very important for starting the project, which is technically called the Equitable Design Project.
More than just attendance: focusing on financial and emotional support
The program’s goal is more than just making sure that kids are in their seats. Giving kids a $50 check every week is meant to help their families with money problems and let them focus more on their studies. A lot of the time, this money can help pay for simple things like food, transportation, or school supplies, which could lead to better grades.
On the other hand, the fact that a mental health evaluation was needed to get the reward shows how important it is to take care of kids’ emotional health. There are a lot of problems that young people face because of their mental health. This part of the program could have a long effect on their lives.
A challenge in numbers: the absenteeism situation in Oakland
School absenteeism is a serious issue in Oakland. According to data collected by the San Francisco Chronicle, in 2022, a startling 61% of students in the Oakland Unified School District missed at least one out of every ten school days. This statistic underscores the urgency of finding effective solutions to improve attendance and, consequently, academic success.
The correlation between regular attendance and academic achievement is well-documented. Students who frequently miss school not only fall behind in their studies but are also at a higher risk of dropping out altogether. By offering a tangible financial incentive, the program aims to reverse this trend and demonstrate that with the right support, students can be more engaged in their education.
Oakland, a leader in educational innovation
Because of this moment, Oakland is the only city in the US that has a program that gives money to kids who go to school. The city will be a leader in the search for new ways to make public schools better thanks to this project.
If the program works, it could be used as a model by other towns that have similar problems with kids not going to school. Giving money and paying attention to mental health could become a model for other towns across the country that are looking for good ways to deal with these problems, not just in Oakland.
How the program could evolve
People are already excited about what the project will do in the long run, even though it is still in its early stages. If big gains are seen in attendance and grades, the program will probably be spread to more Oakland schools and maybe even schools outside of Oakland.
Also, the Equitable Design Project’s success could encourage other school systems to use the same methods. With imagination and a whole-person approach, Oakland’s model shows that it is possible to deal with tough issues like dropping out of school and not showing up for class while also helping students who need it the most.
In conclusion, this pilot program in Oakland is a good step toward helping schools and kids deal with the many problems they face right now. The project aims to make a better learning environment that meets both the practical and emotional needs of students by linking financial incentives with mental health support.
As the program goes on, it will be closely watched by both teachers and lawmakers. They want to see if this new way of doing things can make a lasting difference in how well students attend school and do overall. If this works, it could change the way schools across the country deal with students who are missing, and it could serve as a model for future changes to the way schools work.