Submitted by Patricia Hedden, Jun 19, 2007 13:41

Speaking as someone who grew up in a working poor family that received food stamps and other public assistance for a short period in the seventies, I think this new program is well-intentioned but misinterprets research. Certain behaviors, like attending parent-teacher conferences and going to the dentist, may be associated with a successful rise out of poverty, but it is the self-directed attitude behind those behaviors that promotes success.

Some of the actions targeted for rewards may work better than others. A parent-teacher conference is interactive. Even if the parents only go to collect the money, they still have to talk with the teacher, and thus, might become more active in helping their children achieve. Downloading progress reports is passive. There is no guarantee the parents will actually read or understand the comments. Paying families $50 to get a library card is just silly. There is no guarantee the card will be used. A smarter idea would be to provide a small incentive for the children to attend summer reading programs hosted at local libraries.

If NYC is determined to pay poor people to make smart choices, then at least pay for active participation, not just getting a card or downloading a form.

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