BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Pascal Mubenga announced the launch of a new student attendance lottery in which students could earn between $200 and $500.
The district said students who miss no more than one day of school in a given month will have their names entered into the monthly attendance lottery. Each month, the superintendent will randomly select three student names from the eligible students attending the district's 60 schools.
- The first student selected will receive $500
- The second student selected will receive $300
- The third student selected will receive $200
WATCH: Buffalo Public Schools students could earn up to $500 through attendance lottery
A total of $1,000 will be awarded each month, and the district said all awards will be generously donated by Say Yes Buffalo.
Superintendent Mubenga said the lottery is designed to encourage attendance and to reinforce the critical connection between being in school each day and academic success.
“Every school day counts. We all know that students learn best and ultimately graduate on time when they are in school every day. Evidence shows there is a direct and powerful impact on student learning, academic achievement, and growth when students and families make attendance a priority. When students are in school, they have access to instruction, wellness supports, and opportunities that simply cannot be achieved when they are not in the classroom. This attendance lottery is a positive and engaging way to incentivize students to show up every day, stay committed to their education, and build good habits that will serve them well throughout their lives.”
The district said additional details regarding eligibility and drawings will be shared with schools, students and families before the February launch.
“We’re proud to join the district in addressing student attendance. For years, Say Yes programs—including School-Based Family Support, our Community Schools initiative, and the Breaking Barriers Youth Leadership Council—have partnered closely with Student Support Teams to remove barriers that keep students out of the classroom. Any effort that helps drive students to improve attendance is an investment worth making and we applaud Dr. Mubenga’s innovation.”
