Detroit Offers Money to Schoolchildren as a Product to Fight Absenteeism

The midwest’s second largest city has emerged with a civic boon. Michigan has reportedly moved on from scandals involving poor public services and mayoral illegal activity. Now, Detroit’s residents have a reason or two to celebrate, or at least the kids do.

Students enrolled there are being offered up to $1,000 for perfect attendance. The new policy allows high schoolers and middle schoolers to get paid for showing up to school according to Detroit Public School Community District’s website.

While many Americans may associate Detroit with car plants and Old Motown, the city has seen a boon in other sectors. Jared Fleischer, a real estate figure who specializes in urban revitalization, is one person who wishes to see the largest city in Michigan return to prominence. Fleischer believes the city is a “product”. “We’ve got to produce something that your customer wants, and our customers [are] talented young people who are the fuel of a modern economy.

Some may wonder why there is a need to vitalize the system, its students, or customers. The answer is fighting absenteeism. Gift cards valued at $100 are rewarded to students every week in high school for up to 10 weeks and $50 for students in middle school.

In addition to money for consistent attendance, the city greenlit a program with the DDOT to offer free rides to schoolchildren. The Detroit Department of Transportation will operate exclusive bus routes in hopes of battling dropout culture.