CASE STUDY
Paper “Warrior Bucks” kept getting lost and forged. Once the school moved rewards, hall passes, and tardies into Minga, tutorial attendance went up and behavior referrals went down.
- 50%more students attending tutorials
- 98%tutorial attendance
- 46,000+times students were recognized for good behavior
Lake Worth Middle School
Solutions used
THE CHALLENGE
Paper Rewards Couldn’t Hold Students Accountable
Lake Worth Middle rewarded good behavior with paper “Warrior Bucks.” They got lost, stolen, and forged, so they stopped meaning much to students. Tardies and hallway wandering weren’t recorded anywhere. Staff couldn’t spot patterns or follow up on repeat behavior, and few students came to after-school tutorials.
Key problem areas:
- Paper rewards were easy to lose, steal, or forge
- No way to see who was late or skipping class
- Follow-through on repeat behavior was inconsistent
- Few students came to tutorials and clubs
- No real reason for students to show up on time
Before, there was no accountability. It was hard to keep track of things and there were no consequences. Students were late, students were skipping, students were in the hallways, and there was no way to track what was going on and why.”
THE SOLUTION
One System for Points, Passes, and Tardies
Culture Coordinator Tiffany Johnson moved everything into Minga. Students earn points for good choices and lose them for poor ones. Staff can see who’s out of class and why, and every tardy is logged the moment it happens.
Students spend their points on snacks, game room time, a “Spin the Wheel” event, and lunch with the principal. The reward shop is open at lunch, and PBIS ambassadors help Tiffany run it.
What Minga offered:
- Points students earn for good choices and lose for poor ones
- Real-time view of who’s out of class and why
- Instant tardy logging that shows patterns early
- Rewards that give students a reason to come to tutorials
Before, everything was just word of mouth. Now, we have something to back it up. We can pull how many times students have been in the hallway. And answer the question, ‘Why is my child failing?’ Because during every class, they’re leaving and they don’t come back for 30 minutes, and someone has to go find them.”
THE OUTCOMES
Reduced Behavior Referrals and Students Who Show Up
Tutorial attendance up 50%
Students earn 20 points for attending tutorials. Attendance and participation jumped 50% after the switch.
98% tutorial attendance
Nearly every student in the program now shows up, with end-of-year prizes like a PS5 and headphones to work toward.
Behavior referrals came down
Recorded incidents rose at first because staff were finally logging them. Once consequences were consistent, student behavior referrals dropped.
A clear cost for being late
20 points for a warning, 50 for lunch detention, 100 for an AP referral. Students protect their balance by getting to class on time.
Rewards students want
A student-run reward shop at lunch, with a smart board and scanners, makes points feel real.
46,000+ moments of recognition
Staff have recognized good behavior more than 46,000 times. Students can see their balance, and they want it to grow.
Minga has given structure, accountability, and ownership. Ownership for the students as well. The rewards are instant and that instant gratification has been a game-changer. That’s what motivates the kids.”
See How Minga Can Reduce Student Behavior Referrals at Your School
Get results like Lake Worth Middle School. Schedule a 30-minute demo and see how Minga can help you cut referrals and build a culture students want to be part of.
