Posted on October 31, 2012

Chicago Plans to Pay Parents $25 to Pick Up Their Children’s Report Cards and Go to Parent-Teacher Conferences

David McCormack, Daily Mail (London), October 31, 2012

Parents are being persuaded to get more involved in their children’s education with $25 gift cards.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the scheme that will see vouchers for Walgreen being handed out.

Parents will receive the vouchers provided they pick up their students’ report cards and participate in parent-teacher conferences.

The scheme will be trialed at 70 public schools in Chicago Public Schools that have a problem engaging parents.

‘This is a way, in my view, of incentivizing responsible parenting,’ Emanuel told a news conference at Field Elementary School, Ashland.

He said that the scheme could help to ‘close the gap between parents, teachers and principals to have a united front investing in our kids’ education.’

Emanuel said he got the gift card idea during one of his morning workouts: ‘That’s what happens when I start swimming. I start coming up with ideas.’

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