Earning by Learning (EBL) is an innovative, research- driven program, based on incentives that encourage children to read.

EBL of Dallas was founded in Since the organization was founded 77,613 students have read 726,638 books.

Children, grades K-6, select titles approved by school/center personnel and receive $1 for each book that he/she masters which is measured using the Accelerated Reader’s Renaissance Place or Scholastic’s Reading Counts computerized reading software programs.

There are fall and/or spring EBL sessions offered at various sites throughout Greater Dallas.

EBL concentrates its program operations within the Dallas Independent School District servicing up to 50 elementary schools with the goal of expanding the program into all of the district’s elementary schools.

More than $1.4 million in performance-based reading incentives have been awarded to students.

School staff and principals have indicated that participation in the program motivated students to read more outside of class, and although the cash reward was welcome, it was not the primary motivator for students to read. The program increased reading comprehension as well as interest in reading since implementation. EBL provided student accountability through the use of computerized assessments of comprehension.

Harvard University completed a research study in the Spring The purpose of the study conducted by Dr. Roland Fryer was to look at incentives and their effects, if any, on academic achievement. Students showed substantial gains among EBL students in the area of reading comprehension, overall language development, report card grades, and test scores versus students who did not participate in the program.

Harvard University Research Study Findings About Earning by Learning Earning by Learning has just completed a two year Harvard University research study. The principal investigator is renowned Economic Professor, Dr. Roland G. Fryer. The study’s purpose was to look at incentives and its effect, if any, on academic achievement. All of the participating schools and students selected for the study were newcomers to the Earning by Learning program.

Harvard University Research Study Findings About Earning by Learning Here Are the Harvard/EBL Findings: Students who participate in Earning by Learning show substantial increase in reading comprehension, overall language development, report card grades and test scores versus non-EBL students. In just 15 weeks of Earning by Learning’s program implementation, students gained nearly 4 months in academic growth. Earning by Learning Latino and African American male students showed an even higher gain than their female counterparts.

Harvard University Research Study Findings About Earning by Learning EBL students also received the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and the results showed that incentivizing students does not ruin a child’s love for learning. The intense argument/ anxiety by some educators and social psychologists seems unwarranted. A year after paying students to read and pass a comprehension test, EBL students are still significantly outperforming the students in the control group.

Harvard University Research Study Findings About Earning by Learning There was almost a 2 point standard deviation in the study. There have been only three research studies in the last 3 decades with this type of gain: Headstart, Classroom Size Reduction, and Incentives for Quality Teachers to go into Urban Districts. Now Earning by Learning stands alongside those groundbreaking studies. This type of EBL gain comes at a much lower cost.

Harvard University Research Study Findings About Earning by Learning Our qualitative and quantitative research puts Earning by Learning on a tremendous path to sustainability. To learn more about the study read Dr. Fryer's published paper. Log onto and click onto the link “in the news.”

One year later, EBL students are still outperforming students in the control group (Additional information is available on the Harvard Study Fact Sheet online at

To promote financial literacy, EBL partners with Inwood Bank and BBVA Compass in our “Read and Save” program which allows students to open a savings account and learn fiscal responsibility.

EBL’s “Read and Give Back” program allows children to direct their earnings to the school libraries thus providing a tremendous revenue source for the library. It is an excellent way to teach our students the art of philanthropy.

All rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced without written permission from the Earning by Learning of Dallas. Copyrights 2003 Earning by Learning of Dallas