Can Cash Support Improve High School Attendance? Digital Pioneers Academy Is Putting It to the Test

Through the program, 40 randomly selected DPA seniors receive $50 per week for 40 weeks, totaling $2,000, delivered via reloadable debit cards. Payments are unconditional, allowing students to decide how best to use the funds. The study is evaluated by the Center for Guaranteed Income Research (CGIR) at the University of Pennsylvania.

“At Digital Pioneers Academy, we work hard to remove barriers that stand in the way of student success,” said Mashea Ashton, Founder and CEO of DPA. “For some students, financial stress is one of those barriers. The $50 Study gives seniors resources to meet their basic needs and teaches them firsthand about budgeting.”

The initiative builds on promising results from similar programs in New Orleans and Indianapolis, where students receiving weekly cash transfers attended school more, built stronger financial skills, and saved money at higher rates than their peers.

DPA senior Fred McRoy says the program reflects a real understanding of students’ lives. “Some students have a lot on their plates, after-school jobs, helping out at home, long rides to school,” he shared. “I work hard to be here every day, but there are definitely moments when things outside of school make it tough. Life does not stop just because you’re in high school.”

For Fred, the stipend is both practical and empowering. “Fifty dollars a week might not seem like a huge amount, but it really helps,” he said. “After football practice, I am always hungry, so some of it goes toward meals.. I am also saving up for my senior pictures, and I want to buy a holiday gift for my mom this year.”

As DPA continues to address attendance through expanded athletics, mental health supports, and student-centered programs, leaders see The $50 Study as a powerful addition and a potential model for schools across the city.