Students with regular attendance to receive financial rewards

A financial program launched in Detroit, USA, to encourage regular school attendance will be continued and expanded.

Under the "Perfect Attendance Pays" program, high school students who attend all classes for five consecutive days receive a $100 electronic Visa card. Students who complete all 10 winter periods can earn up to $1,000 in total rewards.

The program showed significant results in the previous academic year. Between January and March 2026, nearly 12,800 high school students in Detroit public schools received the $100 reward at least once, accounting for about 84% of the high school population. During this period, chronic absenteeism among them dropped from 64% to 54%.

Starting from the 2026–2027 academic year, the program will be extended to 6th–8th grade students. They can receive a $50 reward for attending all classes for five consecutive days.

The program is primarily implemented from January to March, as school attendance typically declines during this period due to winter weather and seasonal illnesses.

The conditions are strict: students must attend all classes during the five-day period. Missing even one class results in disqualification from the reward.