HOMEWORK POLICY

Homework assignments are a regular and vital component of your child’s education. Some homework is designed for parent participation, while other assignments are to be done independently by the child. The teacher will inform you of the standards and expectations of assignments.

The District’s homework policy regulates the average amount of focused time students should spend on school-related work at home. Generally, the average daily time spent on homework should be:

• K    -   10 minutes
• 1st  -   20 minutes
• 2nd -  30 minutes
• 3rd -   40 minutes
• 4th -   50 minutes
• 5th -   60 minutes

Teachers attempt to plan assignments that are appropriate for each child. However, we know that all children learn and work at their own pace. If your child is regularly spending more than the recommended focused time each night on homework, talk to the teacher and he/she will work with you and your child to create a plan for success. Remember, too, that on any given night, you may need to stop your child’s labors after the appropriate time, and simply write a note to the teacher explaining that the homework was too difficult for your child.  After additional teacher support, your child will then complete the assignment at another time.  

Homework assignments are held to the same standards as classwork. Assignments should be accurate, complete, and neat. Parents should inspect the work before the child turns it in. If the work does not meet the teacher’s criteria for acceptable performance, the homework may be returned to your child to be redone.

It is also imperative that your child reads every night for at least 20 minutes. If your child is not reading yet, this would be a great opportunity for you and your child to spend time reading together.

Four ways to help your child improve her or his homework skills:

• Include homework in your family’s daily schedule, just as you do dinner and family events
• Make a study corner. Use a consistent place like a table, couch, desk or chair for helping your child review material before a test.
• Encourage your child to study with other students when appropriate.
• Make a point to look over your child’s finished homework.