East Side education initiative unveiled
Sept. 16, 2006

By Michelle M. Martinez, San Antonio Express-News

City Councilwoman Sheila McNeil has launched an advertising campaign to sell a product she says is essential to the East Side's future: education.

The marketing strategy includes a rally at the AT&T Center on Oct. 9 where famous alumni will give motivational talks and student rappers from local school districts will rap education-themed ditties.

Long-term strategies include providing incentives, such as iPods or gift cards, to boost student academic performance and bolster parental involvement — a method at least one education expert says doesn't work.

McNeil and a host of other public officials unveiled the campaign, called Education on Demand: Making the Grade, during a news conference Friday morning at City Hall.

McNeil characterizes the initiative as a call to action for the District 2 area she represents, a traditionally low-income, economically deprived part of the city. If students in her council district are to have a shot at the high-tech jobs companies such as Toyota and Sino Swearingen are bringing to town, something must be done now to improve education on the East Side, she said.

"It is this collaboration that is going to make education a priority in our community," McNeil said to a crowd of students and educators gathered at City Hall. "Students, I want you to build those jets. I want you to build those Tundras at Toyota."

Organizers say the initiative has the backing of the Spurs, Toyota, Frost Bank and H-E-B, among other local businesses. Four school districts — East Central, Judson, North East and San Antonio — and charter schools including the George Gervin school are also sponsors.

One component of the campaign is to reward students for perfect attendance and good grades. Parents who attend Parent-Teacher Organization meetings could have a chance to take home prizes.

But such methods have their critics. One of them is Alfie Kohn, a Boston-based education expert who opposes standardized testing, is a vehement critic of excessive homework and who has criticized incentives in his book, "Punished by Rewards."

Kohn said research has repeatedly shown that "the more you reward people for doing something, the more they tend to lose interest in whatever they had to do to get the reward."

In other words, incentives are counterproductive, he said.

"The bottom line is that dangling incentives in front of children is a way of doing things 'to' them," Kohn said via e-mail. "It's a form of sugar-coated control. In the long run people react badly to being controlled, even if they like the goody itself."

But organizers say there's nothing wrong with giving students a reason to do well or parents rewards for being involved.

"I don't think it's so much an issue of we're giving you something so you will do something," said Kimberly Lair, an account executive for the Beat 98.5 FM, an initiative sponsor. "I think it's reinvestment in their child's education, and if that means they win an extra Christmas present for their child's education, so be it."

Education on Demand is limited to District 2 for now, but organizers hope to expand it to other council districts over time.

The Oct. 9 rally will run from 9 to 11 a.m. Graduates of East Side schools expected to attend include astronaut Bernard Harris, Tejano singer Emilio Navaira, Dallas Cowboys player Sam Hurd and Tuskegee Airman Capt. LeRon Hudgins.

The initiative also calls for a panel discussion for parents and for connecting families to services, such as on-the-job training. Sponsoring businesses will contribute by providing manpower, facilities or money.

"Businesses are concerned more than ever about the quality of the graduates schools are delivering to the work force," said Howie Schaffer, public outreach director for the Public Education Network, a national advocacy group in Washington. "They've decided to become more actively engaged in school improvement."

mmartinez@express-news.net