Regardless of what purists say, incentives work. One reason many schools have fallen into a slough is because the purists, many of them ensconced in academia, have tried to downplay the importance of grades in secondary education. That foolish concept also dragged down the importance of trying hard, even when courses aren't easy or entertaining. The basic work ethic of schooling slowly died. A good education is still available for those who strive for it.
Teachers mainly work for the strivers.
The rest are allowed to float along. The trick is to create more strivers. This proposal could do that by rewarding the work ethic. The state would underwrite the cost of two years at Delaware Tech for any state student who finished high school with an 85 or 3.4 grade point average. Many would probably transfer to four-year institutions and add a baccalaureate to their associate degrees.