homework policy math

IM 6–12 Math: Grading and Homework Policies and Practices

By Jennifer Willson, Director, 6–12 Professional Learning Design

In my role at IM, working with teachers and administrators, I am asked to help with the challenges of implementing an IM curriculum. One of the most common challenges is: how can we best align these materials to our homework and grading practices? This question is a bit different from “How should we assess student learning?” or “How should we use assessment to inform instruction?”

When we created the curriculum, we chose not to prescribe homework assignments or decide which student work should count as a graded event. This was deliberate—homework policies and grading practices are highly variable, localized, and values-driven shared understandings that evolve over time. For example, the curriculum needed to work for schools where nightly, graded assignments are expected; schools where no work done outside of class is graded; and schools who take a feedback-only approach for any formative work.

IM 6–8 Math was released in 2017, and IM Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 in 2019. In that time, I’ve been able to observe some patterns in the ways schools and teachers align the materials to their local practices. So, while we’re still not going to tell you what to do, we’re now in a position to describe some trends and common ways in which schools and districts make use of the materials to meet their local constraints. Over the past four years, I have heard ideas from teachers, administrators, and IM certified facilitators. In December, I invited our IM community to respond to a survey to share grading and homework policies and practices. In this post I am sharing a compilation of results from the 31 teachers who responded to the survey, as well as ideas from conversations with teachers and IMCFs. We hope that you find some ideas here to inform and inspire your classroom.

How do teachers collect student responses?

Most teachers who responded to the survey collect student work for assessments in a digital platform such as LearnZillion, McGraw-Hill, ASSISTments, Edulastic, Desmos, etc. Others have students upload their work (photo, PDF, etc.) to a learning management system such as Canvas or Google classroom. Even fewer ask students to respond digitally to questions in their learning management system.

How do teachers tend to score each type of assessment, and how is feedback given?

The table shows a summary of how teachers who responded to the survey most often provide feedback for the types of assessments included in the curriculum.

How are practice problems used?

Every lesson in the curriculum (with a very small number of exceptions) includes a short set of cumulative practice problems. Each set could be used as an assignment done in class after the lesson or worked on outside of class, but teachers make use of these items in a variety of ways to meet their students’ learning needs.

While some teachers use the practice problems that are attached to each lesson as homework, others do not assign work outside of class. Here are some other purposes for which teachers use the practice problems:

extra practice
student reflection
as examples to discuss in class or use for a mini-lesson
as a warm-up question to begin class
as group work during class

How do teachers structure time and communication to “go over” practice problems?

It’s common practice to assemble practice problems into assignments that are worked on outside of class meeting time. Figuring out what works best for students to get feedback on practice problems while continuing to move students forward in their learning and work through the next lesson can be challenging.

Here are some ways teachers describe how they approach this need:

We don’t have time to go over homework every day, but I do build in one class period per section to pause and look at some common errors in cool-downs and invite students to do some revisions where necessary, then I also invite students to look at select practice problems. I collect some practice problems along with cool-downs and use that data to inform what, if anything, I address with the whole class or with a small group.
Students vote for one practice problem that they thought was challenging, and we spend less than five minutes to get them started. We don’t necessarily work through the whole problem.
I post solutions to practice problems, sometimes with a video of my solution strategy, so that students can check their work.
I assign practice problems, post answers, invite students to ask questions (they email me or let me know during the warm-up), and then give section quizzes that are closely aligned to the practice problems, which is teaching my students that asking questions is important.
I invite students to vote on the most challenging problem and then rather than go over the practice problem I weave it into the current day’s lesson so that students recognize “that’s just like that practice problem!” What I find important is moving students to take responsibility to evaluate their own understanding of the practice problems and not depend on me (the teacher) or someone else to check them. Because my district requires evidence of a quiz and grade each week and I preferred to use my cool-downs formatively, I placed the four most highly requested class practice problems from the previous week on the quiz which I substituted for that day’s cool-down. That saved me quiz design time, there were no surprises for the students, and after about four weeks of consistency with this norm, the students quickly learned that they should not pass up their opportunity to study for the quiz by not only completing the 4–5 practice problems nightly during the week, but again, by reflecting on their own depth of understanding and being ready to give me focused feedback about their greatest struggle on a daily basis.
I see the practice problems as an opportunity to allow students to go at different paces. It’s more work, but I include extension problems and answers to each practice problem with different strategies and misconceptions underneath. When students are in-person for class, they work independently or in pairs moving to the printed answer keys posted around the room for each problem. They initial under different prompts on the answer key (tried more than one strategy, used a DNL, used a table, made a mistake, used accurate units, used a strategy that’s not on here…) It gives the students and I more feedback when I collect the responses later and allows me to be more present with smaller groups while students take responsibility for checking their work. It also gets students up and moving around the room and normalizes multiple approaches as well as making mistakes as part of the problem solving process.

Quizzes—How often, and how are they made?

Most of the teachers give quizzes—a short graded assessment completed individually under more controlled conditions than other assignments. How often is as varied as the number of teachers who responded: one per unit, twice per unit, once a week, two times per week, 2–3 times per quarter.

If teachers don’t write quiz items themselves or with their team, the quiz items come from practice problems, activities, and adapted cool-downs.

When and how do students revise their work?

Policies for revising work are also as varied as the number of teachers who responded.

Here are some examples:

Students are given feedback as they complete activities and revise based on their feedback.
Students revise cool-downs and practice problems.
Students can revise end-of-unit assessments and cool-downs.
Students can meet with me at any time to increase a score on previous work.
Students revise cool-downs if incorrect, and they are encouraged to ask for help if they can’t figure out their own error.
Students can revise graded assignments during office hours to ensure successful completion of learning goals.
Students are given a chance to redo assignments after I work with them individually.
Students can review and revise their Desmos activities until they are graded.
We make our own retake versions of the assessments.
Students can do error logs and retakes on summative assessments.
We complete the student facing tasks together as a whole class on Zoom in ASSISTments. If a student needs to revise the answers they notify me during the session.

Other advice and words of wisdom

I also asked survey participants for any other strategies that both have and haven’t worked in their classrooms. Here are some responses.

What have you tried that has not worked?

Going over practice problems with the whole class every day. The ones who need it most often don’t benefit from the whole-class instruction, and the ones who don’t need it distract those who do.
Grading work on the tasks within the lessons for accuracy
Leaving assignments open for the length of the semester so that students can always see unfinished work
Going through problems on the board with the whole class does not correct student errors
Most students don’t check feedback comments unless you look at them together
Grading images of student work on the classroom activity tasks uploaded by students in our learning management systems
Providing individual feedback on google classroom assignments was time consuming and inefficient
Allowing students to submit late and missing work with no penalty
Trying to grade everything
Below grade 9, homework really does not work.
Going over every practice problem communicates that students do not really think about the practice problems on their own.

What else have you tried that has worked well?

My students do best when I consistently assign practice problems. I have tried giving them an assignment once a week but most students lose track. It is better to give 2–3 problems or reflective prompts after every class, which also helps me get ahead of misconceptions.
I don’t grade homework since I am unsure who completes it with or for the students.
A minimum score of 50% on assignments, which allows students the opportunity to recover, in terms of their grade in the class
Time constraints imposed during remote learning impact the amount and type of homework I give as well as what I grade
Give fewer problems than normal on second chance assignments
I have used platforms such as Kahoot to engage students in IM material. I also build Google Forms to administer the Check Your Readiness pre-assessment and End-of-Unit assessments, but I may start using ASSISTments for this in the future.
The value of homework in high school is okay, but personally I skip good for great.
Students are able to go back and revise their independent practice work upon recognizing their mistakes and learning further about how to solve the problems.
Sometimes I select only one or two slides to grade instead of the whole set when I use Desmos activities.
Allow for flexibility in timing. Give students opportunities for revision.
Frequent short assessments are better than longer tests, and they allow students to focus on specific skills and get feedback more frequently.
Especially during the pandemic, many of my students are overwhelmed and underachieving. I am focusing on the core content.
Homework assignments consist of completing Desmos activities students began in class. Additional slides contain IM practice problems.
I am only grading the summative assessment for accuracy and all else for completion. I want the students to know that they have the room to learn, try new strategies and be wrong while working on formative assessments.

What grading and homework policies have worked for you and your students that aren’t listed? Share your ideas in the comments so that we can all learn from your experience.

What would you like to learn more about? Let us know in the comments, and it will help us design future efforts like this one so that we can all learn more in a future blog post.

We are grateful to the teachers and facilitators who took the time to share their learning with us.

to the IM Blog and Newsletter

Popular Tags

Establishing a Math Homework Policy

When establishing a homework policy. it is important to create one that is fair and consistent for the students, and, at the same time, realistic for the busy teacher. Student lateness and absence can make it difficult to enforce a homework policy, especially in a class period of 35 to 40 minutes.

Each marking period, all students start out with a test score of 100 for homework and preparedness. Points are deducted as follows:

I use a clipboard with a copy of the class list to track students’ scores. Absent students are given back a full 5 points once assignments have been made up. If a student does not have the assignment in class when it is due, 5 points are deducted; 2 points are given back when the student shows me the assignment (at lunch or after school). Points for being unprepared are deducted when a student fails to bring his/her pencils, notebook, and textbook to class. As a general rule, students may not show me missed or late assignments during class. There simply is not enough time. I have them come after school or at lunch to show me the assignments.

This policy may seem elaborate, but it is actually quite effective. Students are motivated to make up missed work in order to get points back. It teaches them to be responsible. There is only one drawback: If you do not give many tests during the marking period, the homework score may have too heavy a weight on the student’s grade. In most cases, this will inflate the student’s grade.

Going over homework assignments is just as important as having a system for grading it. If you don’t go over the assignment at all, students will think homework is unimportant, regardless of your policy. As a math teacher, I like to emphasize that some mistakes on homework are okay, as long as you learn from them. Each day, I go around the room checking that homework was completed, marking missed assignments on my clipboard. Next, I go over the answers with the class in one of the following ways depending on the assignment. (Each student is responsible for checking and correcting his/her own homework paper.)

The important thing here is to go over the assignment somehow . By the second marking period, I am able to check the assignment for completion AND go over the answers in 5 to 7 minutes. (Of course, there are exceptions to this.) To demonstrate the importance of homework, from time to time I place a homework problem on a quiz or a test.

Generally, I assign homework every day. Some states forbid the assignment of homework on certain religious holidays. Check with your school administrator for more information.

Whatever homework policy you devise, remember to create something that is realistic and enforceable. Also keep in mind that your time in and out of the classroom is valuable. Take the time to spell out your policy to students at the beginning of the school year. You may even want to send your policy home to parents in a letter -but have a colleague or administrator review it first.

The Benefits of a Homework Policy

Homework is a ubiquitous aspect of education, yet its effectiveness and impact can vary greatly depending on how it’s structured and enforced. A well-defined homework policy serves as a crucial framework that not only guides students in their learning journey but also supports teachers in delivering effective instruction and fosters collaboration with parents. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of a homework policy for students, teachers, and parents, highlighting how it contributes to academic success and promotes a positive learning environment.

Benefits for Students

Reinforcement of Learning – Homework assignments provide students with opportunities to practice and reinforce concepts learned in class. By engaging with the material outside of school hours, students can solidify their understanding and mastery of key concepts, leading to improved academic performance.

Personalized Learning Opportunities – A well-designed homework policy allows for differentiation, catering to students’ individual needs and learning styles. Through tailored assignments, students can engage with material at their own pace and level, fostering a deeper understanding of the content.

Communication with Teachers – Homework assignments provide students with opportunities to seek clarification and support from their teachers. By engaging in the homework process, students can identify areas of difficulty and communicate their needs, facilitating a collaborative learning environment.

Benefits for Teachers

Assessment of Student Understanding – Homework assignments serve as valuable formative assessments for teachers, allowing them to gauge students’ understanding of the material outside of the classroom. By reviewing homework submissions, teachers can identify areas of weakness and adjust their instructional strategies accordingly.

Differentiation and Personalization – A homework policy that allows for differentiation enables teachers to tailor assignments to meet the diverse needs of their students. By providing varied and challenging tasks, teachers can accommodate different learning styles and abilities, promoting inclusivity and equity in the classroom.

Communication with Parents – Homework assignments serve as a means of communication between teachers and parents, providing insights into students’ academic progress and areas for improvement. By sharing information about homework expectations and performance, teachers can foster collaboration with parents in supporting students’ learning at home.

Reinforcement of Classroom Learning – Homework assignments reinforce and extend learning beyond the classroom, allowing students to apply and practice skills independently. By assigning meaningful and relevant tasks, teachers can reinforce classroom instruction and promote deeper understanding of the material.

Benefits for Parents

Involvement in Children’s Education – A homework policy encourages parental involvement in children’s education by providing opportunities for parents to support and monitor their children’s learning at home. By reviewing homework assignments and providing assistance when needed, parents can actively engage in their children’s academic journey.

Insight into Children’s Progress – Homework assignments offer parents insights into their children’s academic progress and areas of strength and weakness. By reviewing completed assignments and communicating with teachers, parents can gain a better understanding of their children’s learning needs and provide targeted support.

Collaboration with Teachers – A well-defined homework policy facilitates communication and collaboration between parents and teachers, fostering a supportive learning environment. By working together to support students’ homework efforts, parents and teachers can ensure consistency and alignment between home and school expectations.

Promotion of Responsibility and Independence – Homework assignments promote responsibility and independence in students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning. By supporting students in completing homework tasks and encouraging self-directed learning, parents can foster important skills that contribute to academic success and lifelong learning.

What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Your content has been saved!

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

How long will it take to complete?
Have all learners been considered?
Will an assignment encourage future success?
Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

Center for American Progress

Homework and Higher Standards

Report PDF (736 KB)

How Homework Stacks Up to the Common Core

CAP analysis found that homework is generally aligned to Common Core State Standards, but additional policy changes would make it more valuable.

Education, Education, K-12, Modernizing and Elevating the Teaching Profession

Media Contact

Mishka espey.

Senior Manager, Media Relations

[email protected]

Government Affairs

Madeline shepherd.

Senior Director, Government Affairs

Introduction and summary

For as long as homework has been a part of school life in the United States, so too has the debate over its value. In 1900, a prominent magazine published an article on the evils of homework titled, “A National Crime at the Feet of Parents.” 1 The author, Edward Bok, believed that homework or too much school learning outside the classroom deprived children of critical time to play or participate in other activities at home. The very next year, California, influenced by those concerns, enacted a statewide prohibition on homework for students under the age of 15. 2 In 1917, the state lifted the ban, which has often been the case as districts have continually swung back and forth on the issue. 3

InProgress Stay informed on the most pressing issues of our time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

More than 100 years later, homework remains a contentious issue, and the debate over its value rages on, with scholars coming down on both sides of the argument. Homework skeptic Alfie Kohn has questioned the benefit of homework, arguing that its positive effects are mythical, and in fact, it can disrupt the family dynamic. 4 He questions why teachers continue to assign homework given its mixed research base. Taking the opposite view, researchers Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering have voiced their support for purposeful homework that reinforces learning outside of school hours but still leaves time for other activities. 5

In 1989, prominent homework scholar Harris Cooper published a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies on homework in a survey that found a correlation between homework and performance on standardized tests, but only for certain grade levels. According to Cooper’s research, for students in late-elementary grades through high-school, there was a link between homework and improved standardized test performance. However, there was no evidence of the same correlation for younger students. 6 Even without a connection to academic achievement, Cooper still recommended assigning homework to younger students because it helps “develop good study habits, foster positive attitudes toward school, and communicate to students the idea that learning takes work at home as well as school.” 7

Far from academia, parents—not surprisingly—are some of homework’s most ardent supporters and, also, its most vocal critics. For better or worse, many parents help or are involved in their child’s homework in some way. As a result, homework can shape family dynamics and weeknight schedules. If a child receives too much homework, or only busywork, it can cause stress within families and resentment among parents. 8 Some parents report spending hours each night helping their children. For instance, a 2013 article in The Atlantic detailed a writer’s attempt to complete his 13-year-old daughter’s homework for a week. The headline simply read: “My Daughter’s Homework Is Killing Me.” 9 The father reported falling asleep trying to thoughtfully complete homework, which took around three hours per night. 10 On the other hand, some parents appreciate the glimpse into their child’s daily instruction and value homework’s ability to build positive learning habits.

It is no surprise that the debate over homework often spills onto the pages of newspapers and magazines, with calls to abolish homework regularly appearing in the headlines. In 2017, the superintendent of Marion County Public Schools in Florida joined districts in Massachusetts and Vermont in announcing a homework ban. To justify his decision, he used research from the University of Tennessee that showed that homework does not improve student achievement. 11 Most recently, in December 2018, The Wall Street Journal published a piece that argued that districts were “Down With Homework”—banning it, placing time caps or limiting it to certain days, or no longer grading it—in order to give students more time to sleep, read, and spend time with family. 12

Given the controversy long surrounding the issue of homework, in late spring 2018, the Center for American Progress conducted an online survey investigating the quality of students’ homework. The survey sought to better understand the nature of homework as well as whether the homework assigned was aligned to rigorous academic standards. Based on the best knowledge of the authors, the CAP survey and this report represent the first-ever national study of homework rigor and alignment to the Common Core State Standards—rigorous academic standards developed in a state-led process in 2010, which are currently in place in 41 states and Washington, D.C. The CAP study adds to existing research on homework by focusing on the quality of assignments rather than the overall value of homework of any type. There are previous studies that considered parental involvement and the potential stress on parents related to homework, but the authors believe that this report represents the first national study of parent attitudes toward homework. 13

For the CAP study, the authors used the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online survey tool to collect from parents their child’s actual homework assignments. Specifically, as part of the survey, the authors asked parents to submit a sample of their child’s most recent math or language arts homework assignment and have the child complete questions to gauge if the assignment was challenging, as well as how long it took to complete the assignment. In all, 372 parents responded to the survey, with CAP analyzing 187 homework assignments.

Admittedly, the methodological approach has limitations. For one, it’s a convenience sample, which means people were not selected randomly; and broadly speaking, the population on the MTurk site is younger and whiter than the U.S. population as a whole. However, research has shown that MTurk yields high-quality, nationally representative results, with data that are at least as reliable as those obtained via traditional methods. 14

In addition, the homework sample is not from a single classroom or school over the course of a year; rather, it is a snapshot of homework across many classrooms during the span of a few weeks in May 2018. The assumption is that looking at assignments from many classrooms over a short period of time helps to construct a composite picture of mathematics and language arts homework.

Moreover, the design of the CAP study has clear advantages. Many of the previous existing studies evaluated homework in a single district, whereas the CAP study draws from a national sample, and despite its limitations, the authors believe that the findings are robust and contribute significantly to the existing research on homework.

Three key findings from the CAP survey:

Homework is largely aligned to the Common Core standards. The authors found that the homework submitted is mostly aligned to Common Core standards content. The alignment index that the authors used evaluated both topic and skill. As previously noted, the analysis is a snapshot of homework and, therefore, does not allow the authors to determine if homework over the course of a year covered all the topics represented in the standards.
Homework is often focused on low-level skills in the Common Core standards, particularly in the earlier grades. While the authors’ analysis shows that there was significant alignment between Common Core and the topics represented in the homework studied, most of the assignments were fairly rote and often did not require students to demonstrate the full depth of knowledge required of the content standards. There was clear emphasis on procedural knowledge, and an even stronger emphasis on memorization and recall in language arts. Common Core content standards, on the other hand, require students to demonstrate deeper knowledge skills, such as the ability to analyze, conceptualize, or generate. 15
Homework frequently fails to challenge students. Nearly half of the parents who responded to the CAP survey reported that homework is too easy for their child. In particular, parents of primary-grade children were most likely to agree or strongly agree that the homework assignment they submitted was too easy for their child.

Based on these key findings, CAP recommends that states, districts, and schools improve the quality of homework and increase opportunities for students to practice rigorous grade-level content at home. Specifically, the authors—drawing from this survey and other existing research on homework—recommend the following actions to improve the role of homework in education:

Schools and districts should develop homework policies that emphasize strategic, rigorous homework. In many cases, the homework debate is limited and short-sighted. Currently, many arguments focus on whether or not students should have homework at all, and there are entire school districts that have simply banned homework. Instead of debating the merits of banning homework, reformers and practitioners should focus on improving the rigor and effectiveness of all instructional materials, including

Districts, schools, and teachers should ensure that the total amount of homework students receive does not exceed the 10-minute rule—that is to say, no more than 10 minutes of homework multiplied by the student’s grade level. 16 According to research, any more than that can be counterproductive. 17 Also, too much homework may be an unnecessary burden on families and parents. Homework should be engaging and aligned to Common Core standards, which allow students to develop deeper-level learning skills—such as analysis or conceptualization—that help them increase retention of content.

Districts and schools should periodically audit homework to make sure it is challenging and aligned to standards. Rather than implementing homework bans, district policymakers and school principals should regularly review examples of homework assignments to ensure that it is aligned to grade-level standards and requires students to demonstrate conceptual learning. In instances where the district or school finds that homework assignments are not aligned or take too much or too little time to complete, they should help teachers improve homework assignments by recommending instructional materials that may make it easier for them to identify appropriate, grade-level homework assignments.
Schools and districts should provide access to technology and other supports that can make it easier for students to complete rigorous schoolwork at home. Technology can also provide additional support or scaffolding at home, allowing more students to complete homework without help from adults or older siblings. For instance, programs such as the Khan Academy can give students rigorous homework that’s aligned to Common Core standards. 18 Unfortunately, many households across the nation still do not have adequate access to devices or internet at home. Schools and districts should consider options to ensure that all students can benefit from technology and broadband. Greater access to technology can help more students benefit from continual innovation and new tools. While most of these technologies are not yet research-based, and the use of devices may not be appropriate for younger children, incorporating new tools into homework may be a low-cost method to improve the quality of student learning.
Curriculum reform and instructional redesign should focus on homework. There are many states and districts that are reforming curriculum or adopting different approaches to instruction, including personalized learning. Curriculum reform and personalized learning are tied to greater academic outcomes and an increase in motivation. Homework should also be a focus of these and other efforts; states and districts should consider how textbooks or other instructional materials can provide resources or examples to help teachers assign meaningful homework that will complement regular instruction.

The findings and recommendations of this study are discussed in detail below.

Homework must be rigorous and aligned to content standards

All homework is not created equal. The CAP study sought to evaluate homework quality—specifically, if homework is aligned to rigorous content standards. The authors believe that access to grade-level content at home will increase the positive impact of adopting more rigorous content standards, and they sought to examine if homework is aligned to the topics and skill level in the content standards.

The 10-minute rule

According to Harris Cooper, homework is a valuable tool, but there is such a thing as too much. In 2006, Cooper and his colleagues argued that spending a lot of time on homework can be counterproductive. He believes that research supports the 10-minute rule—that students should be able to complete their homework in no more than 10 minutes multiplied by their grade. For example, this would amount to 20 minutes for a second-grade student, 50 minutes for a fifth-grade student, and so on. 19

The Common Core, developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, established a set of benchmarks for “what students should know and be able to do” in math and language arts by the end of the academic year in kindergarten through high school. 20 The math standards focus on fewer concepts but in more depth and ask students to develop different approaches to solve similar problems. In language arts, the standards moved students away from narrative-based assignments, instead concentrating on using evidence to build arguments and reading more nonfiction.

The Common Core is not silent in the cognitive demand needed to demonstrate mastery for each standard. 21 For example, a second grade math standard is “[s]olve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, using $ and ¢ symbols appropriately.” For this standard, a second-grader has not mastered the standard if they are only able to identifying the name and value of every.

Remember, apply, integrate: Levels of cognitive demand or depth of knowledge

There are numerous frameworks to describe levels of cognitive skills. One of the most prominent of these models, Bloom’s taxonomy, identifies six categories of cognition. The original levels and terms were knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; however, these terms have changed slightly over time. 22 Learning does not necessarily follow a linear process, and certainly, all levels of cognitive demand are important. Yet these categories require individuals to demonstrate a different level of working knowledge of a topic. With the advent of standards-based reform, the role of cognitive skill—particularly in the area of assessment—has become a much more explicit component of curriculum materials.

Over the past two decades, cognitive science has shown that individuals of any age retain information longer when they demonstrate deeper learning and make their own meaning with the content—using skills such as the abilities to conjecture, generalize, prove, and more—as opposed to only committing ideas to memory or performing rote procedures, using skills such as the ability to memorize or recall.

In essence, Common Core created rigorous expectations to guide the instruction of students in all states that chose to adopt its standards. These standards aimed to increase college preparedness and make students more competitive in the workforce. Policymakers, advocates, and practitioners hoped that Common Core would create greater consistency in academic rigor across states. In addition, with the classroom and homework aligned to these standards, many anticipated that students would graduate from high school prepared for college or career. As of 2017, 41 states and the District of Columbia have adopted and are working to implement the standards, although many of these states have modified them slightly. 23

In this study, the authors evaluated homework to determine if it was aligned to Common Core standards in two ways: First, does it reflect grade-level content standards; second, does it require students to use skills similar to those required to demonstrate proficiency in a content area. This multitiered approach is critical to evaluating alignment between standards and instruction—in this case homework. Instruction must teach content and help students develop necessary levels of cognitive skill. Curricula for each grade should include instructional materials that are sequenced and rigorous, thus enabling students to develop an understanding of all content standards.

In spring 2018, the Center for American Progress used Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to administer a survey. MTurk is a crowdsourcing marketplace managed by Amazon; it allows organizations to virtually administer surveys for a diverse sample. 24 The CAP survey asked parents to submit a sample of their child’s most recent math or language arts homework assignment and complete a few questions to gauge if the assignment was challenging, as well as how long it took for the student to complete the assignment. A total of 372 parents responded to the survey, and CAP analyzed 187 homework assignments.

Of the 372 parents who participated in the survey, 202, or about 54 percent of respondents, submitted samples of their child’s homework assignment. The researchers dropped a total of 15 homework submissions from analysis either because the subject matter was not math or language arts—but rather, science, music, or social studies—or because the authors could not examine the specific content, for example, in cases where parents only provided a copy of the cover of a textbook. Of the remaining homework samples submitted, 72 percent (134 samples) focused on mathematics content, while the remaining 28 percent (53 samples) represented language arts content.

Of the 372 responding parents, 234—or 63 percent—were female, and 126—or 37 percent—were male. Forty-eight percent of parents responding to the survey were under the age of 34, while almost 90 percent of respondents were under the age of 45. There was an unequal distribution of parents representing elementary and secondary grade levels. Seventy-one percent of the total sample were parents with students in primary (K-2) and elementary (3-5) grades. (See Methodology section below)

Based on the analysis, the authors’ drew the following conclusions:

Homework is largely aligned to Common Core standards, especially the topics in the standards

The authors found that the submitted homework, for the most part, was aligned to Common Core standards content or within the so-called “good” range based on content expert evaluations. As described in the Methodology, the authors used an alignment index that does not require a homework assignment to exactly mirror the content standards—both topic and skill level—for evaluators to note that it is within a good range. For context, the study’s alignment index has a range of 0.00 to 1.00, where 0.00 indicates no content in common whatsoever between the two descriptions—perfect misalignment—and 1.00 indicates complete agreement between the two descriptions—perfect alignment. Generally speaking, what one might call “good” alignment for instruction tends to range on the alignment index between 0.4 and 0.6, with a measure of 0.5 serving as a median indicator of good alignment.

The analysis is a snapshot of homework and, therefore, does not allow the authors to determine if homework over the course of a year covered all required standards. In other words, it is difficult to say how many of the standards for a given grade are covered across a full school year, simply because of the limited sample of assignments.

The alignment index evaluates both topic and skill, but there was particular alignment in topic areas. For instance, there was a strong emphasis in the topic areas of number sense and operations for primary math homework. When combined with the third-most emphasized topic, measurement, these three areas accounted for more than 90 percent of primary mathematics homework content. The actual math content standards for the primary grades also placed heavy emphasis on the topic areas of number sense, operations, and measurement—though they accounted for only about 80 percent of primary math content.

In general, across all age groups, math homework was more closely aligned to content standards—both topic and skill level—than language arts. The alignment results for middle school math were particularly strong, at 0.56, based on 27 homework samples. The stronger alignment among math homework samples may be in part due to the fact that there were more math assignments in the sample than language arts assignments. Larger samples offer more opportunities to show alignment. As a result, smaller samples may underestimate alignment.

The table below presents the alignment indices, which were calculated using the homework samples collected for each grade band.

Homework is often focused on low-level skills in the standards, particularly in younger grades

While the authors’ analysis shows that there was significant alignment in the topic of standards and homework assignments, most of the homework did not require students to demonstrate the full depth of knowledge required of content standards. The analysis uncovered an emphasis on procedural knowledge, with an even stronger emphasis on memorization and recall in language arts. Content standards, on the other hand, require students to demonstrate deeper-knowledge skills, such as the ability to analyze, conceptualize, or generate.

Of five performance expectation categories across math and language arts that the authors used to measure alignment between standards and homework, there was a disproportionate emphasis on skills that require a lower level of knowledge or understanding. In grades K-2, for instance, the content standards emphasize the performance expectations of “procedures,” or computation, and “demonstrate,” or understanding, but the homework samples submitted primarily emphasized the procedures level of performance expectation. Similarly, homework for grades three through five focused almost entirely on the performance expectation of procedures, rather than standards that emphasized both procedures and demonstrate. 25

As seen with the middle school grades, high school math standards—despite a continued emphasis on procedures—show increased emphasis on the more challenging performance expectations of “demonstrate understanding” and “conjecture, generalize, prove.” Interestingly, this shift toward more challenging performance expectations is most visible for the topic areas of geometric concepts and functions, in both the standards and the homework samples submitted by parents of high school students.

Parents report that homework frequently does not challenge students

Nearly half of parents that participated in the survey reported that homework does not challenge their child. In particular, parents of primary-grade children were most likely to agree or strongly agree that the homework assignment they submitted was too easy for their child—58 percent for language arts and 55 percent for math.

Parents’ opinions about homework difficulty varied between mathematics and language arts assignments. Forty-eight percent of parents who submitted a mathematics assignment and 44 percent of parents who submitted a language arts assignment reported that it was too easy for their child. There was some variance across grade spans as well. As noted above, parents of primary-grade children were most likely to find the homework assignments too easy for their child. Meanwhile, parents that submitted high school math homework were also more likely to agree or strongly agree that the assignments were too easy, with 50 percent agreeing or strongly agreeing and only 33 percent disagreeing or strongly disagreeing with the statement. While there were clear trends in parent opinions, it is important to acknowledge that the sample size for each subset was small.

The comments of surveyed parents echoed this finding. One parent noted that “most homework that they are assigned seems like nothing more than busy work.” Another parent said: “The homework is not strong enough to build conceptual knowledge. It assumes that the child already has that knowledge.” Meanwhile, another parent commented: “Homework is way oversimplified and they don’t seem to spend much time on it. It’s a bit sad that English and math don’t seem to require what they used to. I remember much longer and harder worksheets to complete when I was a child.” 26

Weak homework samples

Within the sample of homework assignments, there were some that fell short of rigorous. For instance, one assignment listed 24 pairs of numbers—three and nine, 24 and 21, and so on—and asked the student to circle the smaller number in order to build numbers sense. While homework can be critical when establishing foundational knowledge, repetitive activities such as this often fail to engage students and, instead, overemphasize rote learning. Asking a student to list or name a number of a lesser value, for instance, would make this assignment more interactive.

A second example from kindergarten asked a student to create an uppercase and lowercase letter “f” by filling in dots with paint. The parent who submitted it highlighted the limited utility of the assignment, emphasizing that it does not hold students to high expectations. What’s more, the homework only gave the student two opportunities to practice writing the letter, both in a nonauthentic way. Indeed, the assignment focused more on filling in circles than it did constructing letters. While this task might help build a kindergartener’s hand-eye coordination, it does little to support language arts.

Exemplary homework samples

While many of the assignments submitted focused on procedures and, for math, computation, it is worth acknowledging some of the more exemplary types of homework included in the samples. These offer examples of how homework can challenge students, engage rigorous cognitive processes, and demonstrate that content standards at all levels—not just middle and high school—can support challenging homework that pushes students to think critically.

For example, one math homework assignment asked a student to identify which individuals possessed each of four groups of shapes based on the following description:

Ally, Bob, Carl, and Dana each have a set of shapes.

Bob has no triangles.
The number of rectangles that Dana has is the same as the number of triangles that Carl has.

This example is interesting on two counts. First, the assignment goes beyond procedure, requiring the student to analyze the various sets of shapes in order to determine which set belongs to which individual. It is also interesting insofar as it demonstrates a common real-world situation: There is usually more than one way to solve a problem, and sometimes, there is more than one correct answer.

Similarly, another example asked a student to determine actions that would help students beautify the school. The header of the assignment read, “Make a Decision: Keep Our School Beautiful!” The assignment had various boxes, each with a question above, such as, “Should we recycle?” or “Should we make art?” The assignment asked the student to “(1) think about each choice, (2) consider how each choice would affect them and others in the school community, (3) write their ideas in boxes below.” In doing so, it required primary students to analyze and generate ideas—both of which are skills that promote deeper learning.

Recommendations

Homework offers a valuable window into the curricula, assessment practices, and instructional preferences of teachers. It provides insight into classroom learning as well as the types of knowledge and skills the teacher believes will reinforce that instruction at home.

This analysis shows that the content and value of homework varies. While most homework within the sample was aligned to content standards, there is still a significant need to increase the rigor of homework and create opportunities for students to use higher-order skills.

Overall, schools and districts should pay more attention to homework as a reform lever. A growing body of research shows that homework is connected to learning outcomes, and as a result, schools and districts should ensure that policies help teachers provide meaningful assignments. 27 Based on this survey and the existing research on homework quality, the authors identified recommendations that can help increase the quality of homework:

Schools and districts should develop homework policies that emphasize strategic, rigorous homework

In many cases, the current debate over homework is short-sighted. Many arguments focus on whether or not students should have homework. There are entire school districts that have simply banned homework altogether. However, the debate should move beyond the merit of homework. Research shows that homework is linked to better performance on standardized assessments, especially in higher grades. 28 Many homework scholars also believe that a reasonable homework load can help develop important work habits. 29 Therefore, instead of eliminating homework outright, schools, districts, and advocates should focus on improving its rigor and effectiveness. As discussed throughout, homework should be an extension of instruction during the school day. Accordingly, policymakers and schools must make changes to homework that are in concert with curriculum reform.

Like all instruction, homework should be aligned to states’ rigorous content standards and should engage students in order to promote deeper learning and retention. To do this, homework should ask students to use higher-order skills, such as the ability to analyze or evaluate.

However, schools and districts, rather than simply assigning longer, more complicated assignments to make homework seem more challenging, should make strategic shifts. Homework assignments should be thought-provoking. But there is a such thing as too much homework. Districts and schools should ensure that teachers follow the research-supported 10-minute rule. 30 Also, teachers, schools, and districts should consider resources to set all students up for success when faced with more rigorous home assignments; homework should never be a burden or source of stress for families and parents.

Districts and schools should audit homework to make sure it is challenging and aligned to standards

Rather than implementing homework bans, district policymakers and schools should regularly review homework samples to ensure that they are aligned to grade-level standards, are engaging, require students to demonstrate higher-order skills, and adhere to the 10-minute rule. The audit should review multiple homework assignments from each classroom and consider how much time children are receiving from all subject areas, when appropriate. The district or school should ask for ongoing feedback from students, parents, and guardians in order to collect a comprehensive representation of the learning experience at home.

In instances where the district or school principal finds that homework assignments are not aligned to grade-level standards or take too much or too little time to complete, they should help the school or teachers improve them by recommending instructional materials that may make it easier for teachers to identify appropriate, grade-level homework assignments. In addition, if parents or students identify challenges to complete assignments at home, the district or school should identify solutions to ensure that all students have access to the resources and support they need to complete homework.

Schools and districts should provide access to technology and other supports that make it easier for students to complete homework

Technology can go a long way to improve homework and provide additional support or scaffolding at home. For instance, programs such as the Khan Academy—which provides short lessons through YouTube videos and practice exercises—can give students rigorous homework that is aligned to the Common Core standards. Unfortunately, many households across the nation still do not have adequate access to devices or internet at home. A 2017 ACT survey found that 14 percent of students only have access to one technology device at home. 31 Moreover, federal data from 2013 found that about 40 percent of households with school-age children do not have access to broadband. 32 It is likely that the percentage has decreased with time, but internet access remains a significant problem.

Schools and districts should adopt programs to ensure that all students can benefit from technology and broadband. For instance, Salton City, California, installed a Wi-Fi router in a school bus. Every night, the bus parks near a neighborhood with low internet connectivity, serving as a hot spot for students. 33

Moreover, greater access to technology can help more students benefit from new innovative resources. While most of these technologies are not yet research-based, and the use of devices may not be appropriate for younger children, incorporating new tools into homework may be a low-cost option to improve the quality of student learning. For instance, ASSISTments is a free web-based tool that provides immediate feedback as students complete homework or classwork. It has been proven to raise student outcomes. 34 Other online resources can complement classroom learning as well. There are various organizations that offer students free lessons in the form of YouTube videos, while also providing supplementary practice exercises and materials for educators. LearnZillion, for example, provides its users with high-quality lessons that are aligned to the Common Core standards. 35

Curriculum reform and instruction design should focus on homework

There are many states and districts that are engaging in curriculum reform. Many of these recent reform efforts show promise. In an analysis of the curricula and instructional materials used by the nation’s 30 largest school districts, the Center for American Progress found that approximately one-third of materials adopted or recommended by these districts were highly rated and met expectations for alignment. 36

Homework should be a focus of curriculum reform, and states and districts should consider how textbooks or other instructional materials can provide resources or examples to help teachers assign meaningful homework that will complement regular classroom instruction.

Personalized learning—which tailors instruction and learning environments to meet each student’s individual interests and needs—is also gaining traction as a way to increase declining engagement in schools and increase student motivation. 37 These ideas are also relevant to homework quality. A 2010 study found that when students were offered a choice of homework assignment, they were more motivated to do the work, reported greater competence in the assignments, and performed better on unit tests, compared with peers that did not have choice in homework. 38 The study also suggested that offering students a choice improved the rate of completion of assignments. 39 Districts and schools should help implement more student-centered approaches to all instruction—in the classroom and at home.

When it comes to change management, experts often advise to look for low-hanging fruit—the simplest and easiest fixes. 40 In education, homework reform is low-hanging fruit. Research shows that quality homework and increasing student achievement are positively correlated; and yet, the authors’ analysis shows that some schools may not be taking advantage of a valuable opportunity to support student achievement. Instead of mirroring the cognitive demand in rigorous content standards, homework assigned to students is often weak or rote. But it does not have to be this way. More rigorous, insightful homework is out there. Policymakers and schools need to move beyond the debate of whether or not to assign work outside of school hours and do their own due diligence—or, put another way, their own homework—before assigning homework to students in this nation’s schools.

Methodology

As mentioned above, the authors used the Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online survey tool to collect from parents their child’s actual homework assignments. Specifically, as part of the survey, the authors asked parents to submit a sample of their child’s most recent math or language arts homework assignment and have the child complete questions to gauge if the assignment was challenging, as well as how long it took to complete the assignment. In all, 372 parents responded to the survey, with CAP analyzing 187 homework assignments. The submissions of samples were analyzed by a group of analysts under the supervision of John L. Smithson, researcher emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Measuring alignment

The homework samples were reviewed by two teams of content analysts—one for mathematics and one for language arts—who were asked to describe the academic content represented by the submitted homework, as well as the performance expectation. Each team consisted of three analysts who possessed the relevant content expertise and experience in methodology used to gather the descriptive data.

The teams used a taxonomy-based methodology that was developed by education researchers Andrew Porter and John Smithson during Porter’s tenure as director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 41 Researchers both nationally and internationally have subsequently used this approach to content description for decades in order to examine issues of alignment as well as to support program evaluation and inform school improvement efforts.

The U.S. Department of Education also recognizes the validity of this approach. Specifically, the Education Department completes a peer review of states’ annual assessment program’s alignment to state academic content standards. 42 The Porter/Smithson approach is one of a handful of alignment methodologies that has been determined to meet these federal requirements. 43

The Porter/Smithson approach is unique because it defines instructional content as a two-dimensional construct consisting of topic and cognitive demand, or skill. This approach to describing cognitive skill is similar to Bloom’s, which the authors have described above. It has five categories: recall, process, analyze, integrate, and conceptual understanding. The Porter/Smithson approach is the most stringent of alignment indicators, as it looks at both topic and cognitive demand; it is also possibly the most challenging to interpret because the final alignment score considers two dimensions.

The alignment index has a range of 0.00 to 1.00, where 0.00 indicates no content in common whatsoever between the two descriptions—perfect misalignment—and 1.00 indicates complete agreement between the two descriptions—perfect alignment. A measure of 1.00 is exceedingly unlikely, requiring perfect agreement across every cell that makes up the content description. In practice, this is only seen when comparing a document to itself. For instance, very high alignment measures—more than 0.70—have been noted when comparing different test forms used for a particular grade-level state assessment; but those are instances where high alignment is desired. In terms of instructional alignment—in other words, how well instruction is aligned to the standards—a measure of 1.00 is not the goal. For this reason, the authors did not expect any analysis of homework alignment, no matter how well designed, to have a measure of or close to 1.00.

Generally speaking, what one might call “good” alignment for instruction tends to range between 0.4 and 0.6 on the alignment index, with a measure of 0.5 serving as a median indicator of good alignment. The description of the content standards represents the goal of instructional practice—the destination, not the journey. As such, it does not indicate the best path for achieving those goals. The 0.5 indicator measure represents a middle road where teachers are balancing the expectations of the content standards with the immediate learning needs of their students.

Limitations

The authors acknowledge that the analysis has shortcomings. The sample was relatively small and does not directly mirror the national population of parents of elementary and secondary school students. As such, the sample does not necessarily reflect the views or homework experiences of the larger U.S. population.

Limited sample size

The current study analyzes a snapshot of homework across many classrooms, rather than homework from a single classroom or school. The assumption is that looking at individual homework assignments across many classrooms will help to construct a composite picture of mathematics and language arts homework that will be somewhat reflective of the picture one would get from following many classrooms for many days. If the sample is large enough with a wide enough geographical spread, that assumption serves researchers well enough.

For the current study, however, the number of homework samples available for each grade band were, in some cases, quite small—as low as five assignments each for middle and high school language arts. The largest sample sizes were for primary and elementary math, with 47 and 41 homework assignments collected, respectively. However, even 47 is a fairly small sample size for drawing inferences about a full year of homework.

Selection bias

The respondents that participated in this study were a reasonably diverse group in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity, but there are notable differences between the makeup of the parents represented in the study and the makeup of parents of school-age children more generally. Respondents were predominantly female, with women making up almost two-thirds—63 percent—of the sample. They also tended to be parents of younger school-age children, with 71 percent of the respondents reporting on children from the bottom half of the K-12 system—grades K-5. Finally, in terms of race and ethnicity, the sample overrepresented Asian American families and underrepresented African American families. These groups comprised 14 percent and 8 percent of respondents, respectively, compared with national averages of 6 percent and 12 percent.

Because the sample does not well reflect the population of parents of elementary and secondary students, the authors considered possible selection biases that may help to explain the differences in sample and overall population and that may have affected certain members of the population more than others.

For instance, the authors administered the survey using MTurk, which may have skewed the sample. In general, the population on the site is younger and whiter than the U.S. population as a whole. However, research has shown that MTurk yields high-quality, nationally representative results, with data that are at least as reliable as those obtained via traditional methods. 44 The researchers also targeted California and Texas in order to increase the diversity of the sample.

In addition, accessibility could have led to selection bias. Despite broad internet access in 2018, there remain families in low-income locales where internet access is not readily available for parents. It is also possible that older parents are less likely to be as active on the internet as younger parents, further contributing to selection bias.

About the authors

Ulrich Boser is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. He is also the founder and CEO of The Learning Agency.

Meg Benner is a senior consultant at the Center.

John Smithson is the researcher emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sarah Shapiro, a former research assistant at the Center for American Progress, for her support developing the survey. They also appreciate the valuable feedback of Catherine Brown, senior fellow for Education Policy at the Center for American Progress; Tom Loveless, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; Lisette Partelow, director of K-12 Special Initiatives at the Center; and Scott Sargrad, vice president of K-12 Education Policy at the Center.

Conflicts of interest

The author, Ulrich Boser, has a financial relationship with the creators of the online homework tool ASSISTments.

Tom Loveless, “How Well Are American Students Learning?” (Washington: Brown Center on Education Policy , 2014), available at https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2014-Brown-Center-Report_FINAL-4.pdf .
Seema Mehta, “Some schools are cutting back on hoomework,” Los Angeles Times , March 22, 2009, available at http://articles.latimes.com/2009/mar/22/local/me-homework22 .
Alfie Kohn, “Rethinking Homework,” Principal , January/February 2007, available at https://www.alfiekohn.org/article/rethinking-homework/ .
Robert J. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering, “The Case For and Against Homework,” Educational Leadership 64 (6) (2007): 74–79, available at http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar07/vol64/num06/The-Case-For-and-Against-Homework.aspx .
Michael Winerip, “Homework Bound,” The New York Times , January 3, 1999, available at https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/03/education/homework-bound.html .
Marzano and Pickering, “The Case For and Against Homework.”
Brian P. Gill and Seven L. Schlossman, “Villain or Savior? The American Discourse on Homework, 1850-2003,” Theory Into Practice 43 (3) (2004): 174–181, available at http://www.history.cmu.edu/docs/schlossman/Villiain-or-Savior.pdf .
Karl Taro Greenfeld, “My Daughter’s Homework Is Killing Me,” The Atlantic , October 2013, available at https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/10/my-daughters-homework-is-killing-me/309514/ .
Fox News, “Florida students in Marion County will no longer be assigned homework, superintendent says,” July 13, 2017, available at https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-students-in-marion-county-will-no-longer-be-assigned-homework-superintendent-says ; Kate Edwards, “East Tennessee schools consider ‘no homework policy’,” WJHL, September 13, 2016, available at https://www.wjhl.com/news/east-tennessee-schools-consider-no-homework-policy/871720275 .
Tawnell D. Hobbs, “Down With Homework, Say U.S. School Districts,” The Wall Street Journal, December 12, 2018, available at https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-homework-its-the-new-thing-in-u-s-schools-11544610600 .
Marzano and Pickering, “The Case For and Against Homework”; Gill and Schlossman, “Villain or savior?”.
Matthew J. C. Crump, John V. McDonnell, and Todd M. Gureckis, “Evaluating Amazon’s Mechanical Turk as a Tool for Experimental Behavioral Research,” PLOS ONE 8 (3) (2013): 1–18, available at https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0057410&type=printable .
Common Core requires students to demonstrate conceptual understanding of topics and use the information to analyze and make their own meaning. The abilities to analyze, conceptualize, and generate denote higher-order cognitive skills. The authors describe hierarchies of cognitive skills later in the report. Many of the standards use these verbs to describe what is expected. Common Core State Standards Initiative, “About the Standards,” available at http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/ (last accessed January 2019).
Robert J. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering, “The Case For and Against Homework.”
Khan Academy, “Common Core,” available at https://www.khanacademy.org/commoncore (last accessed February 2019).
Common Core State Standards Initiative, “What are educational standards?”, available at http://www.corestandards.org/faq/what-are-educational-standards/ (last accessed January 2019).
William G. Huitt, “Bloom et al.’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain” (Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, 2011), available at http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cognition/bloom.pdf .
Solomon Friedberg and others, “The State of State Standards Post-Common Core” (Washington: Thomas B. Fordham Institute, 2018), available at http://edex.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/publication/pdfs/(08.22)%20The%20State%20of%20State%20Standards%20Post-Common%20Core.pdf .
Amazon Mechanical Turk, “Home,” available at https://www.mturk.com/ (last accessed January 2019).
Common Core State Standards Initiative, “Read the Standards,” available at http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/ (last accessed February 2019).
Center for American Progress survey administered on Amazon Mechanical Turk, May 2018, full survey results on file with the authors.
Lauraine Genota, “‘Homework Gap’ Hits Minority, Impoverished Students Hardest, Survey Finds,” Education Week , September 19, 2018, available at https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2018/09/homework_gap_education_equity_ACT_survey.html .
John B. Horrigan, “The numbers behind the broadband ‘homework gap’,” Pew Research Center, April 20, 2015, available at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/20/the-numbers-behind-the-broadband-homework-gap/ .
Nichole Dobo, “What to do for kids with no internet at home? How about parking a wifi-enabled school bus near their trailer park?”, The Hechinger Report , December 23, 2014, available at https://hechingerreport.org/kids-no-internet-home-parking-wifi-enabled-school-bus-near-trailer-park/ .
Alison Duffy, “Study Shows WPI-developed Math Homework Tool Closes the Learning Gap,” Worcester Polytechnic Institute, October 24, 2016, available at https://www.wpi.edu/news/study-shows-wpi-developed-math-homework-tool-closes-learning-gap .
Sean Cavanagh, “LearnZillion Going After District Curriculum Business, Aims to Compete With Big Publishers,” EdWeek Market Brief, June 6, 2018, available at https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/learnzillion-going-district-curriculum-business-aims-compete-big-publishers/ .
Lisette Partelow and Sarah Shapiro, “Curriculum Reform in the Nation’s Largest School Districts” (Washington: Center for American Progress, 2018), available at https://americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/08/DistrictCurricula-report3.pdf .
TNTP, “The Opportunity Myth” (New York: 2018), available at https://tntp.org/assets/documents/TNTP_The-Opportunity-Myth_Web.pdf ; Gallup, “Gallup Student Poll: Measure What Matters Most for Student Success,” available at https://www.gallup.com/education/233537/gallup-student-poll.aspx?utm_source=link_newsv9&utm_campaign=item_211028&utm_medium=copy&_ga=2.248421390.86741706.1543204564-175832835.1543204564 (last accessed January 2019).
Erika A. Patall, Harris Cooper, and Susan R. Wynn, “The Effectiveness and Relative Importance of Choice in the Classroom,” Journal of Educational Psychology , 102 (4) (2010): 896–915, available at https://www.immagic.com/eLibrary/ARCHIVES/GENERAL/JOURNALS/E101100P.pdf .
Jeremy Eden and Terri Long, “Forget the strategic transformation, going after the low-hanging fruit reaps more rewards,” The Globe and Mail, June 24, 2014, available at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/bagging-simple-cheap-ideas/article19311957/ .
U.S. Department of Education, “A State’s Guide to the U.S. Department of Education’s Assessment Peer Review Process” (Washington: 2018), available at https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/saa/assessmentpeerreview.pdf .
Ellen Forte, “Evaluating Alignment in Large-Scale Standards-Based Assessment Systems” (Washington: Council of Chief State School Officers, 2017) available at https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/TILSA%20Evaluating%20Alignment%20in%20Large-Scale%20Standards-Based%20Assessment%20Systems.pdf .
Kevin J. Mullinix and others, “The Generalizability of Survey Experiments,” Journal of Experimental Political Science 2 (2) (2015): 109–138, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-experimental-political-science/article/generalizability-of-survey-experiments/72D4E3DB90569AD7F2D469E9DF3A94CB .

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here . American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.

Ulrich Boser

Former Senior Fellow

Senior Consultant

John Smithson

Quality Over Quantity: Elements of Effective Homework

Educators often treat homework as a Goldilocks problem. Grounded in the belief that homework is fundamentally good for students, teachers aim to optimize how much they assign. If they don’t assign enough homework, they worry their students will not learn the subject matter. If, on the other hand, teachers assign too much, students may be unduly overloaded and stressed. The goal, for many educators, is to provide students the just-right homework load.

Much of the research on homework from the past several decades uses the variable of time to understand the effects of homework. How does the amount of time students spend on homework, researchers have asked, relate to their achievement in school? Do students with more homework earn higher grades? Do they get higher scores on standardized tests? Is there an amount of time spent after which students no longer reap any benefits from completing their homework?

In our own research, students frequently cite the amount of assigned homework as a primary driver of their stress. In fact, of the 50,000 high school students from predominantly middle to upper-middle-class communities that we surveyed since 2018, 67% reported homework as a primary source of stress, with 57% of students stating they had too much homework (Challenge Success, 2020).

But it’s not just the amount of homework that may provoke student stress; it’s also the type of homework assigned. When students perceive homework to be tedious or boring, for example, or they find it too advanced or confusing, they are likely to be more stressed and less engaged, regardless of how long the assignment takes. Conversely, as some studies suggest, when students find their work purposeful, meaningful, or interesting, they may derive more benefits from completing it.

In this white paper published in 2020, we aim to broaden the conversation around homework beyond the narrow focus on time spent. Drawing from decades of research, we explore the features of homework that may benefit students and consider those that may be associated with negative results. At the end of the paper, we provide educators and parents with a set of guiding questions that we hope will inform more effective homework policies and practices.

This One Change From Teachers Can Make Homework More Equitable

Homework can deepen inequities for low-income students at school if teachers judge students’ effort by their families’ involvement.

That’s according to a new study in the journal Educational Researcher, which found teachers were more likely to attribute missed homework to irresponsibility or parent disinterest with low-income students and students of color than with wealthier or white students.

The study was part of a broader longitudinal study of more than 4,000 middle school students and their teachers. Researchers observed 80 students and their teachers and conducted in-depth interviews with both, as well as with the students’ families.

Across both elementary and middle schools, “teachers were interpreting homework through this meritocratic lens, seeing it as the product of motivation and competence and effort, and not as the product of the kinds of circumstances that students or their families might be facing at home,” said Jessica McCrory Calarco, an associate professor of sociology at Indiana University and the lead author of the study.

“When teachers use that cultural framework to interpret what’s going on in their classrooms, it can lead them to judge and punish students and treat students in potentially harmful ways,” Calarco said.

As one teacher in the study noted, “I’ve had a few students this year who have been reluctant to do homework. It’s been mainly the [lower-level students]. Probably math isn’t their favorite subject, so they wouldn’t want to do their math homework, even when it’s easy. And when it’s not easy, they especially don’t want to do it.”

The findings are “unfortunate but not surprising,” said Joyce Epstein, a homework researcher and the director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships, at Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in Calarco’s study.

“Parents are in fact interested in their children’s work and success. What they’re not interested in is being told they’re supposed to know how to teach every subject at every grade level, just because somebody said it was a good idea,” Epstein said.

Teachers who took a meritocratic approach to homework were more likely to adopt punitive homework policies: giving extra credit on tests for students who turned in homework, or keeping students back from recess for not completing it, for example. Meritocratic teachers also were more likely to assign homework that students could not complete independently, either because it was too difficult or required input from parents.

One mother of a 5th grader in the study said she barely passed her GED high school equivalency exam, and often struggled to help her son with math. “I still can’t really figure out division. . . . [Jesse will] ask me a question, and I’ll go look at it, and it’s like algebra, in 5th grade,” the mother told researchers. “Sometimes you just feel stupid because he’s in 5th grade, and I’m like—I should be able to help my son with his homework in 5th grade.”

In an earlier related study using the same students, Calarco and her colleagues also found teachers felt significant pressure from affluent and white parents to excuse their children when they failed to complete homework. Existing homework policies tended to be applied in favor of students of parents who were highly involved in the school.

“It wasn’t a consistent application of rules,” Calarco said. “It was much more rooted in the status and the power of families ... not only in terms of who actually was able to provide more hands-on help at home, but also in the extent to which teachers felt that they had to grant exemptions to students from more privileged backgrounds.”

Designing better homework

Prior research suggests the majority of parent homework help ends up being counterproductive, including doing work for a student or providing confusing or inaccurate explanations for a concept.

“Homework is important, proven to be useful for children’s learning, but we can all do better in designing good homework as opposed to just more of it,” Epstein said.

She argued that teachers should be given more time to work with each other and parents to design homework policies and assignments.

“We should never ask parents to teach a school subject. They don’t want to do it, they can’t do it, they shouldn’t be asked to do it,” Epstein said. “What we’ve learned is that to increase the family connection with their child on homework, ... you design homework to help the student become the leader in this work.”

Among the recommendations:

Do not design homework that requires parents to teach or check content knowledge.
Ensure students can complete assignments at home without help.
Design separate, ungraded assignments to engage families (e.g. a family oral history project). “If we design homework so the youngster is showing, sharing, demonstrating what they’ve learned in class, the parent becomes an appreciator of how the youngster is growing their skills and abilities,” Epstein said.
Incorporate supplemental exercises or model lessons in separate communications with parents, such as school newsletters or literacy nights.

Sign Up for The Savvy Principal

Edweek top school jobs.

Illustration of a large brick wall with graduation cap and books on top of the wall and two silhouetted males sitting and standing at the base of wall and looking up.

Sign Up & Sign In

Featured Articles
Report Card Comments
Needs Improvement Comments
Teacher's Lounge
New Teachers
Our Bloggers
Article Library
Featured Lessons
Every-Day Edits
Lesson Library
Emergency Sub Plans
Character Education
Lesson of the Day
5-Minute Lessons
Learning Games
Lesson Planning
Subjects Center
Teaching Grammar
Leadership Resources
Parent Newsletter Resources
Advice from School Leaders
Programs, Strategies and Events
Principal Toolbox
Administrator's Desk
Interview Questions
Professional Learning Communities
Teachers Observing Teachers
Tech Lesson Plans
Science, Math & Reading Games
Tech in the Classroom
Web Site Reviews
Creating a WebQuest
Digital Citizenship
All Online PD Courses
Child Development Courses
Reading and Writing Courses
Math & Science Courses
Classroom Technology Courses
A to Z Grant Writing Courses
Spanish in the Classroom Course
Classroom Management
Responsive Classroom
Dr. Ken Shore: Classroom Problem Solver
Worksheet Library
Highlights for Children
Venn Diagram Templates
Reading Games
Word Search Puzzles
Math Crossword Puzzles
Geography A to Z
Holidays & Special Days
Internet Scavenger Hunts
Student Certificates

Newsletter Sign Up

Prof. Development

General Archive
Have Some Fun
Expert Interviews
Math Corner
New Teacher Advisor
Strategies That Work
Voice of Experience
Improvement
Lessons from Our Schools
Whatever it Takes
School Climate Archive
Classroom Mgmt. Tips
Behavior Management Tips
Motivating Kids
Fit to Be Taught
Rural Education
Urban Education
Community Involvement
Best Idea Ever
Read About It
Book Report Makeover
Bulletin Board
Parent Issues
Goal Setting/Achieving
Teacher Lifestyle Tips
Classroom Problem Solver
Strategy of the Week
Teacher’s Lounge
Grouping/Scheduling
In a Sub’s Shoes
SchoolDoodles
Teach for America Diaries
Teaming Up to Achieve
Earth Science Demos
Interdisciplinary
Language Arts
The Reading Room
All Columnists...
Dr. Fred Jones
Emma McDonald
Dr. Ken Shore
School Issues: Glossary
Top PD Features
Books in Education
Reader's Theater
Reading Coach
Teacher Feature
School Improvement
No Educator Left Behind
Turnaround Tales
School Climate
Responsive Classroom Archive
Community Context
School Choice
School to Work
Problem Solving Archive
Homework Hassles
Teacher’s Lounge
Virtual Workshop
In a Sub’s Shoes
Academic Subjects
Readers’ Theater
Math Mnemonics
Math Cats Math Chat
Prof. Dev. Columnists

Search form

build flexibility into your homework policy.

$homework policy math$

Any teacher who has ever given out homework has certainly encountered a student the next day saying, “I don’t have my assignment.” Whether pitiful or indifferent, this admission often places us in the unfortunate position of asking why, which puts us in the even more unfortunate position of having to determine whether the student’s excuse is creative (or pathetic) enough to warrant an extension or excusal (or, perhaps just as often, a lecture or punishment).

It took me a woefully long time to break the habit of asking “why,” and it might not have happened unless one of my students told me that a tornado had taken his paper out of his lunchbox! Regardless of your feelings about the value of homework (or its lack thereof), should you decide to give homework, it will be worth your while to develop a policy that eliminates excuses and minimizes stress to you and your students.

A few things to keep in mind:

Consider the value of the homework you give and make sure that intentions go beyond simply wanting them to practice or be prepared for the next lesson. Keep in mind the importance of engaging (and maintaining) a love of learning and a curiosity about life and the world beyond the subject itself. Some of the best types of homework assignments are those that help the students apply what they are learning, or challenge them within the range of their actual abilities and resources.
Keep drillwork to a minimum. If doing five problems will adequately strengthen and reinforce a particular skill, why assign 20?
Keep tabs on how your students are doing with a particular skill. To whatever degree possible, match assignments to student needs and abilities. If I can’t do long division problems in class, how successful am I likely to be doing a page of them after school?
Be realistic about the amount of time your assignments will require. Many researchers recommend about 10 minutes per grade level per night—total! If you’re only one of your students’ teachers, remember that other teachers’ assignments will be competing for their time.
Offer students choices to engage their autonomy and individual learning preferences. Allow students to pick a certain number of problems on a particular page, for example, or to choose between the problems on two different pages. Some students will be perfectly happy writing spelling words a certain number of times each; others will learn better by using the same words in a story or puzzle.
Because students can indeed have a bad night, rather than relying on excuses, build some flexibility into your policy, right up front. You might want to run your idea by an administrator or department chair, and ask parents to sign off as well. You’ll get a lot farther with their support. (And parents will appreciate not having to write excuses.)

Here are some of the policies other teachers have shared with me. Try using these strategies to build flexibility into your homework policies and avoid having to ask for (or deal with) excuses:

Requesting that a certain percentage of assignments be turned in on time: “You are responsible for 37 out of 40 of the assignments you’ll be getting this semester.” BONUS: Giving extra credit for any of the extras that are turned in, even if late!
Giving some token for one free “excuse” which does not need any explanation for its use: “Here is a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, which you can use if you forget your homework any time during the semester.” BONUS: Not requiring kids to actually SHOW the card to get off the hook.
Giving kids a break after a certain number of assignments are completed: “If you turn in completed homework 10 days in a row, you can have the next night off (or you can do the work for extra credit).”
Having a specific date for assignments to be turned in. (Similar to deadlines used in many college classes, this strategy may work best for specific assignments or projects, or with advanced-level classes and self-managing kids.) “As long as you get your homework in two weeks before the end of the grading period, you’ll get credit for it.”
Not counting one or more missed assignments, or the lowest score on a series of assignments or quizzes—for example: “You can drop your lowest grade each semester.”
Extending daily deadlines beyond the end of class, giving kids until the end of the following day to turn in work: “You have until the 3:30 bell tomorrow to turn in this assignment.”
Getting away from using punishments, penalties, or other negative consequences for not doing homework and offering positive outcomes instead. One school saw a change in students’ attitudes about homework—and a big shift in the amount of work being turned in—by simply shifting from giving a minus when the work wasn’t done to giving a plus when it was.
Not requiring homework at all but instead, giving extra credit for any that is turned in. (One teacher increased his percentage from 10% to 85% of assignments completed, simply by using this strategy.)

Discussions about homework can become pretty heated, and both pros and cons are worth considering. I do believe there is a way to find some balance and sanity, a way to accommodate kids’ needs for free time and skill practice. Let’s do our homework to find out what the research says and bring mindfulness—of the demands on kids’ lives and time, as well as their future academic needs—to the choices we make about this important issue.

Related resources

Help for Homework Hassles Homework: A Place for Rousing Reform Special Theme Page: Homework

Also from Dr. Bluestein: Is Your School Emotionally Safe? Accommodating Student Sensory Differences Tips for Positive Teacher-Parent Interaction The Art of Setting Boundaries The Beauty of Losing Control Stressful Student Experiences: What Not to Do

Dr. Jane Bluestein is a speaker, trainer and specialist in programs and resources related to relationship building, effective instruction and personal development.

She is an award-winning author whose books include Creating Emotionally Safe Schools, High School’s Not Forever, 21st Century Discipline, The Win-Win Classroom and many others. In addition, she has appeared on CNN, National Public Radio and "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Dr. Bluestein, formerly a classroom teacher, crisis-intervention counselor and teacher training program coordinator, currently heads Instructional Support Services, Inc., a consulting and resource firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

to access free resources, order books, read her blog and more.

EW Lesson Plans

EW Professional Development

Ew worksheets.

top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more!

No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education!

SchoolNotes.com
The Educator's Network

Resources ›
For Students and Parents ›
Homework Help ›
Homework Tips ›

Homework Guidelines for Elementary and Middle School Teachers

Homework Tips
Learning Styles & Skills
Study Methods
Time Management
Private School
College Admissions
College Life
Graduate School
Business School
Distance Learning
M.Ed., Educational Administration, Northeastern State University
B.Ed., Elementary Education, Oklahoma State University

Homework; the term elicits a myriad of responses. Students are naturally opposed to the idea of homework. No student ever says, “I wish my teacher would assign me more homework.” Most students begrudge homework and find any opportunity or possible excuse to avoid doing it.

Educators themselves are split on the issue. Many teachers assign daily homework seeing it as a way to further develop and reinforce core academic skills, while also teaching students responsibility. Other educators refrain from assigning daily homework. They view it as unnecessary overkill that often leads to frustration and causes students to resent school and learning altogether.

Parents are also divided on whether or not they welcome homework. Those who welcome it see it as an opportunity for their children to reinforce critical learning skills. Those who loathe it see it as an infringement of their child’s time. They say it takes away from extra-curricular activities, play time, family time, and also adds unnecessary stress.

Research on the topic is also inconclusive. You can find research that strongly supports the benefits of assigning regular homework, some that denounce it as having zero benefits, with most reporting that assigning homework offers some positive benefits, but also can be detrimental in some areas.

The Effects of Homework

Since opinions vary so drastically, coming to a consensus on homework is nearly impossible. We sent a survey out to parents of a school regarding the topic, asking parents these two basic questions:

How much time is your child spending working on homework each night?
Is this amount of time too much, too little, or just right?

The responses varied significantly. In one 3 rd grade class with 22 students, the responses regarding how much time their child spends on homework each night had an alarming disparity. The lowest amount of time spent was 15 minutes, while the largest amount of time spent was 4 hours. Everyone else fell somewhere in between. When discussing this with the teacher, she told me that she sent home the same homework for every child and was blown away by the vastly different ranges in time spent completing it. The answers to the second question aligned with the first. Almost every class had similar, varying results making it really difficult to gauge where we should go as a school regarding homework.

While reviewing and studying my school’s homework policy and the results of the aforementioned survey, I discovered a few important revelations about homework that I think anyone looking at the topic would benefit from:

1. Homework should be clearly defined. Homework is not unfinished classwork that the student is required to take home and complete. Homework is “extra practice” given to take home to reinforce concepts that they have been learning in class. It is important to note that teachers should always give students time in class under their supervision to complete class work. Failing to give them an appropriate amount of class time increases their workload at home. More importantly, it does not allow the teacher to give immediate feedback to the student as to whether or not they are doing the assignment correctly. What good does it do if a student completes an assignment if they are doing it all incorrectly? Teachers must find a way to let parents know what assignments are homework and which ones are classwork that they did not complete.

2. The amount of time required to complete the same homework assignment varies significantly from student to student. This speaks to personalization. I have always been a big fan of customizing homework to fit each individual student. Blanket homework is more challenging for some students than it is for others. Some fly through it, while others spend excessive amounts of time completing it. Differentiating homework will take some additional time for teachers in regards to preparation, but it will ultimately be more beneficial for students.

The National Education Association recommends that students be given 10-20 minutes of homework each night and an additional 10 minutes per advancing grade level. The following chart adapted from the National Education Associations recommendations can be used as a resource for teachers in Kindergarten through the 8 th grade.


Kindergarten	5 – 15 minutes
1 Grade	10 – 20 minutes
2 Grade	20 – 30 minutes
3 Grade	30 – 40 minutes
4 Grade	40 – 50 minutes
5 Grade	50 – 60 minutes
6 Grade	60 – 70 minutes
7 Grade	70 – 80 minutes
8 Grade	80 – 90 minutes

It can be difficult for teachers to gauge how much time students need to complete an assignment. The following charts serve to streamline this process as it breaks down the average time it takes for students to complete a single problem in a variety of subject matter for common assignment types. Teachers should consider this information when assigning homework. While it may not be accurate for every student or assignment, it can serve as a starting point when calculating how much time students need to complete an assignment. It is important to note that in grades where classes are departmentalized it is important that all teachers are on the same page as the totals in the chart above is the recommended amount of total homework per night and not just for a single class.

Kindergarten – 4th Grade (Elementary Recommendations)


Single Math Problem	2 minutes
English Problem	2 minutes
Research Style Questions (i.e. Science)	4 minutes
Spelling Words – 3x each	2 minutes per word
Writing a Story	45 minutes for 1-page
Reading a Story	3 minutes per page
Answering Story Questions	2 minutes per question
Vocabulary Definitions	3 minutes per definition

*If students are required to write the questions, then you will need to add 2 additional minutes per problem. (i.e. 1-English problem requires 4 minutes if students are required to write the sentence/question.)

5th – 8th Grade (Middle School Recommendations)


Single-Step Math Problem	2 minutes
Multi-Step Math Problem	4 minutes
English Problem	3 minutes
Research Style Questions (i.e. Science)	5 minutes
Spelling Words – 3x each	1 minutes per word
1 Page Essay	45 minutes for 1-page
Reading a Story	5 minutes per page
Answering Story Questions	2 minutes per question
Vocabulary Definitions	3 minutes per definition

*If students are required to write the questions, then you will need to add 2 additional minutes per problem. (i.e. 1-English problem requires 5 minutes if students are required to write the sentence/question.)

Assigning Homework Example

It is recommended that 5 th graders have 50-60 minutes of homework per night. In a self-contained class, a teacher assigns 5 multi-step math problems, 5 English problems, 10 spelling words to be written 3x each, and 10 science definitions on a particular night.


Multi-Step Math	4 minutes	5	20 minutes
English Problems	3 minutes	5	15 minutes
Spelling Words – 3x	1 minute	10	10 minutes
Science Definitions	3 minutes	5	15 minutes

3. There are a few critical academic skill builders that students should be expected to do every night or as needed. Teachers should also consider these things. However, they may or may not, be factored into the total time to complete homework. Teachers should use their best judgment to make that determination:

Independent Reading – 20-30 minutes per day
Study for Test/Quiz - varies
Multiplication Math Fact Practice (3-4) – varies - until facts are mastered
Sight Word Practice (K-2) – varies - until all lists are mastered

4. Coming to a general consensus regarding homework is almost impossible. School leaders must bring everyone to the table, solicit feedback, and come up with a plan that works best for the majority. This plan should be reevaluated and adjusted continuously. What works well for one school may not necessarily be the best solution for another.

Is Homework Good or Bad for Students?
Tips to Write a Great Letter to the Editor
How to Change Your Habits and Improve Your Grades
Fourth Grade School Supplies List
Cheating with Technology
18 Ways to Practice Spelling Words
MLA Style Parenthetical Citations
How to Give an Impromptu Speech
Mock Election Ideas For Students
How to Memorize the Names of the US Presidents
8 Locker Organization Ideas for Back to School
Field Trip Rules
Study Tips for Middle School Students
20 Tips for Success in High School
External and Internal Motivation
How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech

$Math Project$

1-844-628-4243

Book a FREE Assessment
The MathProject Method
Junior School
Middle School
High School
University Math Prep

Homework Policy

Rules to help students with key life skills, such as time management, work organization, setting priorities, meeting deadlines and above all, taking responsibility for their studies, homework policy for parents & high school students, before the first session, students and parents must read and sign our homework policies for optimal benefit from our courses. implement rules fostering vital life skills: time management, work organization, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and above all, taking responsibility for studies., hence, all high school students must adhere to the following homework policy:.

Students must complete the assigned homework on time and to the best of their abilities. They must show steps and follow the instructor’s guidelines.
Homework completion entails attempting and showing steps for each and every questio n in the assigned worksheet or exercise by the instructor, unless specified otherwise by the instructor. Even if the concept is not so clear, the student must try to attempt using the examples provided in class.
If a student is absent from a session due to any reason, any assigned homework will still be due by the deadline. The deadline will only be extended with reasonable documentary evidence, such as a doctor’s note, boarding pass, etc. Students must self-learn skipped content or parents may contact MathProject for extra one-on-one sessions, available at additional costs.
The instructors inform the students about the weekly homework due within the first hour of the MathProject session. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the instructor during the session to develop clarity of homework concepts.
During the session, inform the instructor or MathProject administration if struggling with a concept and unprepared for assigned homework.
Academic integrity is an essential component to student learning. Students must submit original work for all evaluations and actively avoid plagiarism, cheating, copying, etc.
For incomplete homework, inform MathProject before the due date at 1-844-628-4243 to avoid fines.
Students must ensure that they receive Crowdmark links to submit the assigned work from the instructor before leaving the session.
The students must submit their classwork on the same day as the session by the deadline.
High school students receive a three-day grace period for homework, considering school workload and commitments, despite encouraging timely submissions. Complete homework via Crowdmark is due by midnight on the Tuesday following the MathProject session.
In case of Crowdmark issues, email the homework to the instructor by the deadline, CCing MathProject administration and parents.

Failure to complete and submit homework on time or in an acceptable condition will lead to a $25 fine per late or incomplete submission (up to a maximum of $25 per week). MathProject donates all fines to a registered Canadian charity. Before the start of the program, a $200 security deposit is required by check or etransfer, payable to MathProject, which will be refunded to parents at the end of the term after deducting any fines incurred.

Search for:

Username or email address *

Password *

Remember me Log in

Lost your password?

HW Guidelines
Study Skills Quiz
Find Local Tutors
Demo MathHelp.com
Join MathHelp.com

Select a Course Below

ACCUPLACER Math
Math Placement Test
PRAXIS Math
+ more tests
5th Grade Math
6th Grade Math
Pre-Algebra
College Pre-Algebra
Introductory Algebra
Intermediate Algebra
College Algebra

Homework Guidelines for Mathematics

Mathematics is a language, and as such it has standards of writing which should be observed. In a writing class, one must respect the rules of grammar and punctuation, one must write in organized paragraphs built with complete sentences, and the final draft must be a neat paper with a title. Similarly, there are certain standards for mathematics assignments.

How should I format my homework?

Write your name and class number clearly at the top of at least the first page, along with the assignment number, the section number(s), or the page number(s). If you are not stapling or paper-clipping the pages together, then put your name (or at least your initials) on all the pages.

Use standard-sized paper (8.5" × 11" for North Americans; A4 for others), with no "fringe" running down the side as a result of the paper’s having been torn out of a spiral notebook. Do not use sticky-notes, scented stationery, or other nonstandard types of paper.

Use standard-weight paper , not onion skin, construction paper, or otherwise abnormally thin or heavy paper.

Attach your pages with a paper clip or staple. Do not fold, tear, spit on, or otherwise "dog-ear" the pages. It is better that the pages be handed in loose (with your name on each sheet) than that the corners be folded or shredded.

Clearly indicate the number of the exercise you are doing. If you accidentally do a problem out of order, or separate one part of the problem from the rest, then include a note to the grader, directing the grader to the missed problem or work.

Write out the original exercise (except in the case of word problems, which are too long).

Do your work in pencil, with mistakes cleanly erased, not crossed or scratched out. If you work in ink, use "white-out" to correct mistakes.

Write legibly (that is, suitably large and suitably dark) ; if the grader can't read your answer, it's wrong.

Write neatly across the page , with each succeeding problem below the preceding one, not off to the right. Do not work in multiple columns down the page (like a newspaper); your page should contain only one column.

Keep work within the margins . If you run out of room at the end of a problem, continue onto the next page; do not try to squeeze lines together at the bottom of the sheet. Do not lap over the margins on the left or right; do not wrap writing around the notebook-paper holes.

Do not squeeze the problems together, with one problem running into the next. Use sufficient space for each problem, with at least one blank line between the end of one problem and the beginning of the next.

Do "scratch work," but do it on scratch paper ; hand in only the "final draft." Show your steps, but any work that is scribbled in the margins belongs on scratch paper, not on your hand-in homework.

Show your work . This means showing your steps, not just copying the question from the assignment, and then the answer from the back of the book. Show everything in between the question and the answer. Use complete English sentences if the meaning of the mathematical sentences is not otherwise clear. For your work to be complete, you need to explain your reasoning and make your computations clear.

For tables and graphs, use a ruler to draw the straight lines , and clearly label the axes, the scale, and the points of interest. Use a consistent scale on the axes, and do a T-chart, unless instructed otherwise. Also, make your table or graph large enough to be clear. If you can fit more than three or four graphs on one side of a sheet of paper, then you're drawing them too small.

Do not invent your own notation and abbreviations, and then expect the grader to figure out what you meant. For instance, do not use "#" in your sentence if you mean "pounds" or "numbers". Do not use the "equals" sign ("=") to mean "indicates", "stands for", "leads to", "is related to", or anything else in a sentence; use actual words. The equals sign should be used only in equations , and only to mean "is equal to".

Do not do magic. Plus/minus signs ("±"), "= 0", radicals, and denominators should not disappear in the middle of your calculations, only to mysteriously reappear at the end. Each step should be complete.

If the problem is of the "Explain" or "Write in your own words" type, then copying the answer from the back of the book, or the definition from the chapter, is unacceptable. Write the answer in your words, not the text's.

Remember to put your final answer at the end of your work, and mark it clearly by, for example, underlining it or drawing a box around it. Label your answer appropriately; if the question asks for measured units, make sure to put appropriate units on the answer. If the question is a word problem, the answer should be in words.

In general, write your homework as though you're trying to convince someone that you know what you're talking about.

You should use your instructor or grader as a study aid, in addition to the text, study guides, study groups, and tutoring services. Your work is much easier to grade when you have made your work and reasoning clear, and any difficulties you have in completing the assignment can be better explained by the grader. More importantly, however, completely worked and corrected homework exercises make excellent study guides for the Final. Also, if you develop good habits while working on the homework, you will generally perform better on the tests.

In summary, schools today have made the development of essential skills, the provision of significant and meaningful learning experiences, and the development of the workforce some of its primary goals for student success. As such, they want their instructors to guide the students toward a higher level of confidence and competence. In math, that translates into a greater need for clarity in mathematical writing. The intention on these "Homework Guidelines" is that you and your instructor communicate better, and that you succeed both in your present mathematics courses and in future mathematical communication with co-workers and clients.

For further information, review these examples of acceptable and unacceptable solutions, and this sheet showing neat and messy papers.

Instructors: These "Homework Guidelines" are copyrighted by Elizabeth Stapel.

You are welcome to use these "Homework Guidelines," in part or in whole, as an asset in teaching your own classes. The only conditions of use are that distribution, if any, of the Homework Guidelines be made at no cost to the recipient(s), that the original copyright notice be retained on copies of this page, and that the following notice be included on all derivative works:

Based on "Homework Guidelines" http://www.purplemath.com/guidline.htm Copyright Elizabeth Stapel Used By Permission

These "Guidelines" are also available as a printer-friendly PDF .

If you would like an example sheet for your students (displaying the differences between acceptable and unacceptable formatting), try this PDF .

URL: https://www.purplemath.com/guidline.htm

Standardized Test Prep

College math, homeschool math.

Share This Page

Terms of Use
About Purplemath
About the Author
Tutoring from PM
Advertising
Linking to PM
Site licencing

Visit Our Profiles

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Health & Nursing

Courses and certificates.

Bachelor's Degrees
View all Business Bachelor's Degrees
Business Management – B.S. Business Administration
Healthcare Administration – B.S.
Human Resource Management – B.S. Business Administration
Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration
Marketing – B.S. Business Administration
Accounting – B.S. Business Administration
Finance – B.S.
Supply Chain and Operations Management – B.S.
Communications – B.S.
User Experience Design – B.S.
Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree (from the School of Technology)
Health Information Management – B.S. (from the Leavitt School of Health)
View all Business Degrees

Master's Degrees

View all Business Master's Degrees
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
MBA Information Technology Management
MBA Healthcare Management
Management and Leadership – M.S.
Accounting – M.S.
Marketing – M.S.
Human Resource Management – M.S.
Master of Healthcare Administration (from the Leavitt School of Health)
Data Analytics – M.S. (from the School of Technology)
Information Technology Management – M.S. (from the School of Technology)
Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed. (from the School of Education)

Certificates

Supply Chain
Accounting Fundamentals
Digital Marketing and E-Commerce

Bachelor's Preparing For Licensure

View all Education Bachelor's Degrees
Elementary Education – B.A.
Special Education and Elementary Education (Dual Licensure) – B.A.
Special Education (Mild-to-Moderate) – B.A.
Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
Mathematics Education (Secondary)– B.S.
Science Education (Middle Grades) – B.S.
Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – B.S.
Science Education (Secondary Physics) – B.S.
Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – B.S.
Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– B.S.
View all Education Degrees

Bachelor of Arts in Education Degrees

Educational Studies – B.A.

Master of Science in Education Degrees

View all Education Master's Degrees
Curriculum and Instruction – M.S.
Educational Leadership – M.S.
Education Technology and Instructional Design – M.Ed.

Master's Preparing for Licensure

Teaching, Elementary Education – M.A.
Teaching, English Education (Secondary) – M.A.
Teaching, Mathematics Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
Teaching, Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
Teaching, Science Education (Secondary) – M.A.
Teaching, Special Education (K-12) – M.A.

Licensure Information

State Teaching Licensure Information

Master's Degrees for Teachers

Mathematics Education (K-6) – M.A.
Mathematics Education (Middle Grade) – M.A.
Mathematics Education (Secondary) – M.A.
English Language Learning (PreK-12) – M.A.
Endorsement Preparation Program, English Language Learning (PreK-12)
Science Education (Middle Grades) – M.A.
Science Education (Secondary Chemistry) – M.A.
Science Education (Secondary Physics) – M.A.
Science Education (Secondary Biological Sciences) – M.A.
Science Education (Secondary Earth Science)– M.A.
View all Technology Bachelor's Degrees
Cloud Computing – B.S.
Computer Science – B.S.
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – B.S.
Data Analytics – B.S.
Information Technology – B.S.
Network Engineering and Security – B.S.
Software Engineering – B.S.
Accelerated Information Technology Bachelor's and Master's Degree
Information Technology Management – B.S. Business Administration (from the School of Business)
User Experience Design – B.S. (from the School of Business)
View all Technology Master's Degrees
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance – M.S.
Data Analytics – M.S.
Information Technology Management – M.S.
MBA Information Technology Management (from the School of Business)
Full Stack Engineering
Web Application Deployment and Support
Front End Web Development
Back End Web Development
ServiceNow Application Developer

3rd Party Certifications

IT Certifications Included in WGU Degrees
View all Technology Degrees
View all Health & Nursing Bachelor's Degrees
Nursing (RN-to-BSN online) – B.S.
Nursing (Prelicensure) – B.S. (Available in select states)
Health Information Management – B.S.
Health and Human Services – B.S.
Psychology – B.S.
Health Science – B.S.
Public Health – B.S.
Healthcare Administration – B.S. (from the School of Business)
View all Nursing Post-Master's Certificates
Nursing Education—Post-Master's Certificate
Nursing Leadership and Management—Post-Master's Certificate
Family Nurse Practitioner—Post-Master's Certificate
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner —Post-Master's Certificate
View all Health & Nursing Degrees
View all Nursing & Health Master's Degrees
Nursing – Education (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Nursing – Leadership and Management (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Nursing – Nursing Informatics (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN Program) – M.S. (Available in select states)
Nursing – Education (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Nursing – Leadership and Management (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Nursing – Nursing Informatics (RN-to-MSN Program) – M.S.
Master of Healthcare Administration
Master of Public Health
MBA Healthcare Management (from the School of Business)
Business Leadership (with the School of Business)
Supply Chain (with the School of Business)
Accounting Fundamentals (with the School of Business)
Digital Marketing and E-Commerce (with the School of Business)
Back End Web Development (with the School of Technology)
Front End Web Development (with the School of Technology)
Web Application Deployment and Support (with the School of Technology)
Full Stack Engineering (with the School of Technology)
ServiceNow Application Developer (with the School of Technology)
Single Courses
Course Bundles

Apply for Admission

Admission requirements.

New Students
WGU Returning Graduates
WGU Readmission
Enrollment Checklist
Accessibility
Accommodation Request
School of Education Admission Requirements
School of Business Admission Requirements
School of Technology Admission Requirements
Leavitt School of Health Admission Requirements

Additional Requirements

Computer Requirements
No Standardized Testing
Clinical and Student Teaching Information

Transferring

FAQs about Transferring
Transfer to WGU
Transferrable Certifications
Request WGU Transcripts
International Transfer Credit
Tuition and Fees
Financial Aid
Scholarships

Other Ways to Pay for School

Tuition—School of Business
Tuition—School of Education
Tuition—School of Technology
Tuition—Leavitt School of Health
Your Financial Obligations
Tuition Comparison
Applying for Financial Aid
State Grants
Consumer Information Guide
Responsible Borrowing Initiative
Higher Education Relief Fund

FAFSA Support

Net Price Calculator
FAFSA Simplification
See All Scholarships
Military Scholarships
State Scholarships
Scholarship FAQs

Payment Options

Payment Plans
Corporate Reimbursement
Current Student Hardship Assistance
Military Tuition Assistance

WGU Experience

How You'll Learn
Scheduling/Assessments
Accreditation
Student Support/Faculty
Military Students
Part-Time Options
Virtual Military Education Resource Center
Student Outcomes
Return on Investment
Students and Gradutes
Career Growth
Student Resources
Communities
Testimonials
Career Guides
Skills Guides
Online Degrees
All Degrees
Explore Your Options

Admissions & Transfers

Admissions Overview

Tuition & Financial Aid

Student Success

Prospective Students
Current Students
Military and Veterans
Commencement
Careers at WGU
Advancement & Giving
Partnering with WGU

Should Students Have Homework?

Classroom Strategies
See More Tags

By Suzanne Capek Tingley, Veteran Educator, M.A. Degree

It used to be that students were the only ones complaining about the practice of assigning homework. For years, teachers and parents thought that homework was a necessary tool when educating children. But studies about the effectiveness of homework have been conflicting and inconclusive, leading some adults to argue that homework should become a thing of the past.

What Research Says about Homework

According to Duke professor Harris Cooper, it's important that students have homework. His meta-analysis of homework studies showed a correlation between completing homework and academic success, at least in older grades. He recommends following a "10 minute rule" : students should receive 10 minutes of homework per day in first grade, and 10 additional minutes each subsequent year, so that by twelfth grade they are completing 120 minutes of homework daily.

But his analysis didn't prove that students did better because they did homework; it simply showed a correlation . This could simply mean that kids who do homework are more committed to doing well in school. Cooper also found that some research showed that homework caused physical and emotional stress, and created negative attitudes about learning. He suggested that more research needed to be done on homework's effect on kids.

Some researchers say that the question isn't whether kids should have homework. It's more about what kind of homework students have and how much. To be effective, homework has to meet students' needs. For example, some middle school teachers have found success with online math homework that's adapted to each student's level of understanding. But when middle school students were assigned more than an hour and a half of homework, their math and science test scores went down .

Researchers at Indiana University discovered that math and science homework may improve standardized test grades, but they found no difference in course grades between students who did homework and those who didn't. These researchers theorize that homework doesn't result in more content mastery, but in greater familiarity with the kinds of questions that appear on standardized tests. According to Professor Adam Maltese, one of the study's authors, "Our results hint that maybe homework is not being used as well as it could be."

So while many teachers and parents support daily homework, it's hard to find strong evidence that the long-held practice produces positive results.

Problems with Homework

In an article in Education Week Teacher , teacher Samantha Hulsman said she's frequently heard parents complain that a 30-minute homework assignment turns into a three-hour battle with their kids. Now, she's facing the same problem with her own kids, which has her rethinking her former beliefs about homework. "I think parents expect their children to have homework nightly, and teachers assign daily homework because it's what we've always done," she explained. Today, Hulsman said, it's more important to know how to collaborate and solve problems than it is to know specific facts.

Child psychologist Kenneth Barish wrote in Psychology Today that battles over homework rarely result in a child's improvement in school . Children who don't do their homework are not lazy, he said, but they may be frustrated, discouraged, or anxious. And for kids with learning disabilities, homework is like "running with a sprained ankle. It's doable, but painful."

Barish suggests that parents and kids have a "homework plan" that limits the time spent on homework. The plan should include turning off all devices—not just the student's, but those belonging to all family members.

One of the best-known critics of homework, Alfie Kohn , says that some people wrongly believe "kids are like vending machines—put in an assignment, get out learning." Kohn points to the lack of evidence that homework is an effective learning tool; in fact, he calls it "the greatest single extinguisher of children's curiosity that we have yet invented."

Homework Bans

Last year, the public schools in Marion County, Florida, decided on a no-homework policy for all of their elementary students . Instead, kids read nightly for 20 minutes. Superintendent Heidi Maier said the decision was based on Cooper's research showing that elementary students gain little from homework, but a lot from reading.

Orchard Elementary School in South Burlington, Vermont, followed the same path, substituting reading for homework. The homework policy has four parts : read nightly, go outside and play, have dinner with your family, and get a good night's sleep. Principal Mark Trifilio says that his staff and parents support the idea.

But while many elementary schools are considering no-homework policies, middle schools and high schools have been reluctant to abandon homework. Schools say parents support homework and teachers know it can be helpful when it is specific and follows certain guidelines. For example, practicing solving word problems can be helpful, but there's no reason to assign 50 problems when 10 will do. Recognizing that not all kids have the time, space, and home support to do homework is important, so it shouldn't be counted as part of a student's grade.

So Should Students Have Homework?

Should you ban homework in your classroom? If you teach lower grades, it's possible. If you teach middle or high school, probably not. But all teachers should think carefully about their homework policies. By limiting the amount of homework and improving the quality of assignments, you can improve learning outcomes for your students.

Ready to Start Your Journey?

HEALTH & NURSING

Most Visited Links

Business Programs
Student Experience
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Student Communities

Connect with us to understand how we can help you.

State* Andhra Pradesh Chhattisgarh Delhi Gujarat Haryana Himachal Pradesh Karnataka Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Odisha Punjab Rajasthan Tamil Nadu Telangana Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand Others

Solution Products* School Loans Smart Learning Maths and Science labs Digital Smart Classroom School ERP and Fee Management Integrated Curriculum Solution School Bus Insurance School Uniform
I authorize Varthana to connect with me over call and WhatsApp overriding my registration with NDNC

Board of Directors
Our Investors
School Solution
VCARE – Varthana care for you

How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School?

by Team Varthana
Posted on January 12, 2024
in Education

Homework, for us, brings to mind endless writing without a clear reason, often leading to missing out on evening games. We didn’t enjoy it in school and never really questioned why.

Since homework is an integral part of the educational experience, providing students with opportunities to reinforce learning, develop essential skills, and cultivate a sense of responsibility is the criteria. However, creating an effective homework policy requires careful consideration, especially in the diverse and dynamic educational landscape of India.

A homework policy is a set of guidelines, rules, and principles established by educational institutions to govern the assigning, completion, and evaluation of homework assignments. This policy outlines the expectations and responsibilities of students, teachers, and parents regarding homework.

It serves as a framework to ensure that homework is purposeful, relevant, and contributes to the overall learning objectives of the educational institution.

What are the Key Components of a Homework Policy in School?

1. purpose of homework and the educational philosophy:.

This includes reinforcing classroom learning, developing independent study skills, and fostering a sense of responsibility.

2. Guidelines for Homework Assignment:

Such as complexity, relevance to the curriculum, and differentiation to accommodate varying student abilities.

3. Time Allocation:

Specifies the recommended time students should spend on homework each day, including extracurricular activities and rest.

4. Parental Involvement:

Supporting their children with homework, communication channels between teachers and parents, and a conducive environment for learning at home.

5. Feedback and Evaluation:

Providing timely and constructive feedback on homework assignments, emphasizing feedback as a tool for improvement.

6. Technology Integration:

Guidelines for the use of digital tools and ensuring accessibility for all students.

7. Flexibility and Accommodations:

Considering the diverse needs and circumstances, include allowing for alternative assignments or extended deadlines when necessary.

8. Collaborative Learning:

Through group projects, peer reviews, or other cooperative activities that foster teamwork and communication skills .

Also Read: 7 techniques to boost communication skills for teachers and administrators

9. Alignment with Curriculum:

Ensures that homework assignments align with the broader curriculum goals and contribute to the mastery of key concepts and skills.

10. Cultural Sensitivity:

Acknowledges cultural diversity and ensures that homework assignments are culturally sensitive and inclusive.

Also Read: Leveraging Tech: 5-Step Guide for Teachers & Parents to Support Students with Special Needs

Homework Policies for Each Phase of School Education

Homework policy for kindergarten:, 1. purposeful play and exploration:.

Homework in kindergarten should emphasize purposeful play and exploration. Activities may involve simple art projects, interactive games, or reading together with parents to foster a love for learning.

2. Limited Duration:

Keep homework sessions short, typically not exceeding 10-15 minutes. Kindergarten students have short attention spans, and the emphasis should be on enjoyable and age-appropriate learning experiences.

3. Parental Engagement:

Encourage parents to engage with their child during homework time, making it a positive and bonding experience. Homework may involve activities that promote fine motor skills, creativity, and basic literacy.

Homework Policy for Elementary School:

1. balanced subjects:.

Assign homework that covers a range of subjects, supporting a well-rounded education. This can include math problems, reading assignments, science experiments, and simple research projects.

2. Development of Basic Skills:

Homework should focus on developing foundational skills, such as reading comprehension, basic math operations, and written expression. It provides opportunities for independent practice and reinforces what is taught in class.

3. Parental Support:

Encourage parents to provide support as needed, fostering a positive home-learning environment. Homework can serve as a communication tool between teachers and parents, keeping them informed about what is happening in the classroom.

Homework Policy for Primary School:

1. subject-specific assignments:.

As students move into primary school, homework may become more subject-specific. Assignments can include math exercises, reading comprehension tasks, science projects, and social studies research.

2. Preparation for Higher Grades:

Homework serves as preparation for higher grades by introducing students to more structured assignments. It encourages time management and responsibility while reinforcing the importance of daily practice.

3. Feedback and Assessment:

Use homework for formative assessment , providing constructive feedback to guide students’ progress. This feedback loop helps identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.

Also Read: 5 formative assessment techniques for real time feedback

Homework Policy for Secondary School:

1. diverse subjects and specializations:.

Homework in secondary school becomes more diverse as students take on different subjects and potentially specialize in certain areas. Assignments may include essays, research projects, and problem-solving tasks.

2. Preparation for Exams:

Homework plays a crucial role in preparing students for exams. It reinforces learning, allows for deeper exploration of topics, and helps students develop study strategies for upcoming assessments.

3. Independent Learning:

Encourage independent learning skills. Secondary school students should be capable of managing their workload, researching independently, and applying critical thinking skills to their assignments.

Homework Policy for High School:

1. advanced academic rigor:.

High school homework involves advanced academic rigor, often requiring critical analysis, research, and synthesis of information. Assignments may be more extensive and may contribute to overall course grades.

2. College and Career Preparation:

Homework in high school prepares students for college or vocational pursuits. It emphasizes skills such as research, time management, and effective communication, essential for success in higher education and future careers.

3. Balance and Well-Being:

Acknowledge the increased academic demands and extracurricular commitments in high school. Strive for a balance that promotes student well-being, considering the importance of mental health and a holistic educational experience.

Homework Policy for Pre-University College (PUC):

1. academic specialization:.

Homework in PUC is often more specialized, focusing on subjects relevant to the chosen course of study. Assignments may be research-intensive, requiring students to delve deeply into their chosen field.

2. Critical Thinking and Research:

Emphasize critical thinking and research skills. PUC homework should challenge students to think analytically, apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, and engage in independent scholarly inquiry.

3. Transition to Higher Education:

Homework in PUC serves as a bridge to higher education. It helps students adapt to the expectations of college-level coursework, where independent research and self-directed learning become increasingly important.

4. Preparation for Examinations:

PUC homework is closely tied to exam preparation, helping students develop effective study habits, time management skills, and a comprehensive understanding of the subjects they are studying.

Tips for Creating an Effective Homework Policy for Students

1. understanding cultural dynamics:.

A homework policy should be sensitive to the diversities, acknowledging that students may come from varied socio-economic backgrounds and have different levels of support at home. Tailoring homework assignments to be inclusive and culturally relevant ensures that all students can engage meaningfully with the material.

2. Balancing Academic Rigor and Well-being:

While academic excellence is a priority, it’s essential to strike a balance between challenging students and safeguarding their mental health. The pressure-cooker environment of education can be overwhelming, so a well-crafted homework policy should consider the recommended guidelines for the amount of homework assigned, ensuring it aligns with developmental needs and does not contribute to excessive stress.

3. Clear Communication with Parents:

Transparent communication with parents is crucial for the success of any homework policy. Schools should clearly articulate the purpose of homework, its role in the learning process, and the expected level of parental involvement . Regular updates and parent-teacher meetings can facilitate a collaborative approach, fostering a supportive learning environment at home.

Also Read: 5 formative assessment techniques for real-time feedback

4. Differentiated Homework Assignments:

Recognizing the diverse learning styles and abilities of students, teachers should design homework that allows for differentiation. Tailoring assignments to cater to varying levels of proficiency ensures that each student is appropriately challenged and has the opportunity to succeed .

Also Read: Tips for Parents to help their children succeed in school

5. Aligning Homework with Curriculum Goals:

The homework policy should be closely aligned with the broader curriculum goals of the school. Assignments should reinforce classroom learning, providing students with opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in practical contexts. This alignment ensures that homework serves as a meaningful extension of the educational experience rather than a disconnected task.

6. Promoting Self-directed Learning:

A well-designed homework policy encourages self-directed learning and critical thinking. Assignments that prompt students to explore topics independently, ask questions, and connect learning across subjects foster a sense of curiosity and intellectual engagement.

7. Incorporating Technology Thoughtfully:

In the digital age, incorporating technology into homework assignments can enhance the learning experience. However, it’s essential to do so thoughtfully, considering accessibility issues and ensuring that technology complements the learning objectives rather than becoming a distraction.

8. Providing Timely and Constructive Feedback:

Feedback is a crucial component of the learning process. Teachers should establish a system for providing timely and constructive feedback on homework assignments. This not only helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement but also fosters a culture of continuous learning.

9. Encouraging Collaborative Learning:

Homework assignments that encourage collaboration can be beneficial in schools. Group projects, peer reviews, and cooperative learning activities promote teamwork, communication skills, and a sense of shared responsibility.

10. Flexibility and Adaptability:

Recognizing that students may face unforeseen challenges at home or in their personal lives, a flexible and adaptable homework policy allows for accommodations when needed. Teachers should be understanding and responsive to individual student needs, ensuring that the policy is a tool for support rather than a source of additional stress.

Also Read: How can school leaders help parents get to know the school staff better?

A well-designed homework policy is a valuable tool for creating a positive and effective learning environment. In all phases of school education, it’s essential to consider the developmental needs of students, provide clear communication between teachers and parents, and maintain a balance that promotes both academic success and overall well-being.

Homework should be purposeful, aligned with educational goals, and conducive to the development of lifelong learning skills. Additionally, an effective homework policy contributes to the overall well-being of students by striking a balance between academic rigor and the importance of a holistic educational experience.

Latest Blogs

I started by knocking on doors: how one visionary builds a school to break poverty in rural gurugram, october 4, 2024, how is project-based learning helpful for students, july 11, 2024, building a brighter future: how parent involvement boosts student achievement, july 12, 2024, most viewed blogs, this software engineer from up now leads a school, bringing quality education to every village child, bloom’s taxonomy: your guide to designing powerful learning activities, july 17, 2024.

Activities (13)
AI in Education (1)
Announcement (1)
Career Guidance (11)
Classroom Management (35)
Courses (2)
Customer stories (136)
Customer Story (3)
Diversity in Education (15)
Education (376)
Education Awareness (9)
Examination (4)
Festive Learning (1)
Financial Literacy (1)
Mental health (15)
Parent's Guide (14)
Parents engagement (1)
School finance (36)
School Guide (24)
School Infrastructure (11)
School Leadership (19)
School Loan (37)
School Management (4)
STEM Learning (11)
Student Apps (1)
Student loan (1)
Student Productivity (11)
teacher training (1)
Teacher's Guide (31)
Teachers training (2)
Technology (1)
Technology in Education (19)
Uncategorized (7)
Women empowerment (1)

Dear Varthana Customer,

We have an information update regarding your loan/s with us.

Your details are submitted successfully.

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

IMAGES

FREE 10+ Homework Policy Samples & Templates in MS Word
$homework policy math$
Algebra into pt2
FREE 29+ Work Policy Samples in PDF
Homework Policy by Emily McBrayer
Homework Policy
PPT

VIDEO

Introduction of Hurwitz Polynomial & It's Properties with Examples
The meaning of school math and homework
finish your math homework #knifedad
do your math homework. now
MPS Homework Policy
Math homework is the worst 😭#homework #math #boring

COMMENTS

IM 6-12 Math: Grading and Homework Policies and Practices
This was deliberate—homework policies and grading practices are highly variable, localized, and values-driven shared understandings that evolve over time. For example, the curriculum needed to work for schools where nightly, graded assignments are expected; schools where no work done outside of class is graded; and schools who take a feedback ...
Establishing a Math Homework Policy
Establishing a Math Homework Policy. When establishing a homework policy. it is important to create one that is fair and consistent for the students, and, at the same time, realistic for the busy teacher. Student lateness and absence can make it difficult to enforce a homework policy, especially in a class period of 35 to 40 minutes. ...
What's the Right Amount of Homework?
The National PTA and the National Education Association support the " 10-minute homework guideline "—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students' needs, not the amount of time spent on it.
Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose
Homework is defined as the time students spend outside the classroom in assigned learning activities. Anywhere Schools believes the purpose of homework should be to practice, reinforce, or apply acquired skills and knowledge. We also believe as research supports that moderate assignments completed and done well are more effective than lengthy ...
Homework and Higher Standards
Schools and districts should develop homework policies that emphasize strategic, rigorous homework. ... parents that submitted high school math homework were also more likely to agree or strongly ...
PDF Elements of Effective Homework
posed to practice rote skills. Similarly, parents and educators may want to promote student autonomy and independence when doing homework, and keep in mind other important developmental tasks such as playtime, reading for pleasure, family time, and downtime when considering the pros and cons of assignin.
Grading
By rethinking homework grading, you create a more supportive and effective learning environment that emphasizes student development. Focus on growth and progress. To foster a growth mindset in your math classroom, focus on growth and progress in your grading practices by emphasizing continuous improvement rather than just final outcomes.
Quality Over Quantity: Elements of Effective Homework
In fact, of the 50,000 high school students from predominantly middle to upper-middle-class communities that we surveyed since 2018, 67% reported homework as a primary source of stress, with 57% of students stating they had too much homework (Challenge Success, 2020). But it's not just the amount of homework that may provoke student stress ...
This One Change From Teachers Can Make Homework More Equitable
Existing homework policies tended to be applied in favor of students of parents who were highly involved in the school. "It wasn't a consistent application of rules," Calarco said.
Homework Policy
Genesee Hill Elementary Homework Policy Because we know…. That homework can be a valuable way to extend, reinforce and refine learning; That reading is the best way to become a better reader; That writing supports reading and helps develop critical thinking skills; That knowing math facts at a level of automaticity (meaning, instant recall ...
What does the research say about homework policies and practices?
Homework, when designed and implemented properly, is a valuable tool for reinforcing learning. This essay provides a summary of educational research on homework, discusses the elements of effective homework, and suggests practical classroom applications for teachers. The synthesis of these three areas is intended to supplement the literature on ...
PDF Math Homework Policy
Math Homework Policy Math homework is graded using a 5 point system. In order to earn all 5 points, the work must be on time, every problem attempted, all work shown and the directions followed. All homework will be modeled after the work done in class, so students are strongly encouraged to look over their notes before starting and while doing ...
Homework Policies: Loosen Up a Little
Here are some of the policies other teachers have shared with me. Try using these strategies to build flexibility into your homework policies and avoid having to ask for (or deal with) excuses: Requesting that a certain percentage of assignments be turned in on time: "You are responsible for 37 out of 40 of the assignments you'll be getting ...
Outlining Simple Homework Guidelines for K-8 Teachers
The following chart adapted from the National Education Associations recommendations can be used as a resource for teachers in Kindergarten through the 8 th grade. Grade Level. Recommended Amount of Homework Per Night. Kindergarten. 5 - 15 minutes. 1 st Grade. 10 - 20 minutes. 2 nd Grade. 20 - 30 minutes.
Should Kids Get Homework?
And homework has a greater positive effect on students in secondary school (grades 7-12) than those in elementary. "Every child should be doing homework, but the amount and type that they're doing ...
Homework and Make-up Work (Secondary Grading and Reporting)
The period of time allowed to make up work may be extended at the discretion of the teacher/team. Make-up work for excused absences is graded and recorded in the grade book by teachers without penalty to students. Following any absence, including a prearranged absence, students should make arrangements with individual teachers for make-up work.
Effective Practices for Homework
Homework has four basic purposes: Practice (e.g., after the teacher has directly taught a math algorithm in class, the homework is to complete several problems requiring use of that algorithm).; Preparation (e.g., pre-reading or looking over a new unit of study in a text for the next class meeting).; Study (e.g., reviewing content to prepare for a test). ...
Homework
Alternative approaches to homework: Use a flipped classroom model. Use game-based learning platforms to make homework more interactive and fun. Assign group projects or collaborative tasks. Use Project-Based Learning (PBL). Use personalized learning pathways to help students master topics. Implement cross-curricular math connections.
High School Homework Policy
Students must submit original work for all evaluations and actively avoid plagiarism, cheating, copying, etc. For incomplete homework, inform MathProject before the due date at 1-844-628-4243 to avoid fines. Students must ensure that they receive Crowdmark links to submit the assigned work from the instructor before leaving the session.
Homework Guidelines for Mathematics
In math, that translates into a greater need for clarity in mathematical writing. The intention on these "Homework Guidelines" is that you and your instructor communicate better, and that you succeed both in your present mathematics courses and in future mathematical communication with co-workers and clients.
Should Students Have Homework?
Researchers at Indiana University discovered that math and science homework may improve standardized test grades, ... But while many elementary schools are considering no-homework policies, middle schools and high schools have been reluctant to abandon homework. Schools say parents support homework and teachers know it can be helpful when it is ...
How To Create An Effective Homework Policy In School?
It encourages time management and responsibility while reinforcing the importance of daily practice. 3. Feedback and Assessment: Use homework for formative assessment, providing constructive feedback to guide students' progress. This feedback loop helps identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement.