Extrinsic Motivation: Chitown Charter Implements Stiff Fines for Student Infractions
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| Image from Flickr, by Sebastian Bergmann |
The Noble Network, which runs 10 charter high schools in Chicago, raised nearly $200,000 last year (and $400,000 since 2008) from discipline penalties, the Chicago Tribune reported this week. The Network, which has been praised by Ed Deformer Mayor Rahm Emanuel, has been charging students $5 per violation for such trivial infractions as having untied shoelaces, bringing chips to school or dozing off in class.
Critics are accusing the network of using the fines to cull low performing (and lower income) students in order to boost graduation rates. Last year the network lost 473 students, more than twice as many as the previous year.
The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves
Noble CEO Michael Milkie believes that by enforcing all rules, even the little ones, he has