Article: Dollars for Scholars; A bold experiment pays parents to do the right thing.(New York's experimental program 'Opportunity NYC')

Byline: Raina Kelley

Paying kids for good grades is a popular (if questionable) parenting tactic. But when school starts next week, New York City will try to use the same enticement to get parents in low-income neighborhoods more involved in their children's education and overall health. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has raised more than $40 million (much of it from his own money and the Rockefeller Foundation) to pay families a modest amount for small tasks--$50 for getting a library card or $100 to take a child to the dentist--that could make a big difference.

The experimental program, called Opportunity NYC, is modeled on a 10-year-old Mexican program ...

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