Concho Bucks

Billie Bell

Concho Elementary District Superintendent Leon Buttler is stoked.  “The Concho Bucks Distribution Program is a full-fledged economic system in school tied to academic growth. There are points for family involvement. We now have 70 to 80 percent family involvement in family functions.”

Program elements, where incentives are used to reward students for appropriate behaviors supporting school-wide behavioral expectations have increased student attendance, decreased student behavior problems, demonstrated a positive influence on student grade-point averages including test scores, enhanced parental involvement and community involvement. This approach has resulted in an overall positive impact on the school environment.

Although Concho, is a community of 1,750 residents, Buttler firmly believes its Concho Bucks—Learn to Earn Distribution Program could be used anywhere, not just in rural areas. Watermarked and bar-coded, students have the opportunity to earn bonus pay for academic growth points, as well as participate in lay-away by bundling Concho Bucks to teach students to save and, just as important, learn to delay self gratification. For example, Concho Board President Mary Mills said, “The preschoolers bought iPads with Concho Bucks.”

Character education and drop-out prevention funds, gifts and donations, community events profits, Prop 301 monies and Student Success Funds are the program’s funding sources.

Mary Cummings

PR Consultant