DC high school students paid to learn in new pilot program

Should high school students be paid $50 a week to go to class?

In a new pilot program being tested at one high school in Washington, D.C., students will receive $50 a week to go to school.

WASHINGTON - Some Washington, D.C., high school seniors will receive unconditional weekly cash transfers this fall as part of a study examining the impact on student wellness, financial confidence and academic engagement.

Cash transfers for students

The $50 Study, in partnership with the nonprofit Rooted School Foundation, will provide $50 per week for 40 weeks - totaling $2,000 per student - to 40 seniors at Digital Pioneers Academy in southeast D.C.

Digital Pioneers Academy is a high-performing, tuition-free public charter school serving students primarily from Wards 7 and 8.

Students will opt into the program, with 40 selected through a random lottery. Those chosen will receive the funds via reloadable debit cards.

There are over 100 students at DPA, with around 70 who have shown interest. The students have until October 3 to apply. 

The money comes from grants and philanthropy, not public funds. If the pilot program works at DPA, it could expand to other DCPS schools. 

Study tracks real impact

The $50 Study is backed by a two-year randomized trial conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research, which showed measurable results, according to Rooted School Foundation.

Key findings include improved school attendance, stronger financial literacy, and use of funds for essentials such as food, education-related expenses, savings and long-term goals.

What they're saying:

"The $50 Study represents a fundamental reimagining of how we address opportunity gaps in education," said Jonathan Johnson, founder and CEO of Rooted School Foundation. "What makes DC and our partnership with Education Forward DC and DPA remarkable is that we're proving a simple principle: when you remove financial barriers for young people through direct, unconditional support, you create measurable impact."

"This isn’t just another pilot program. It’s a blueprint for how cities can make real, data-driven progress on challenges we’ve accepted as intractable. D.C. has the opportunity to show that the most elegant solutions are often the most direct ones," Johnson added.

Digital Pioneers Academy is the first school in Washington, D.C., to partner with the $50 Study.