2.6.1 Frequency and Average Amount of Homework (List by grade level and/or subject area.)

Kindergarten and first grade will assign homework as appropriate.  Second through fifth grade students should average homework four days per week.  It is acceptable that assignments be given or some weekends or holidays. The amount of time per night for homework should, in general, use the following formula: student’s grade X’s 10 minutes plus 10 minutes (a third grade student would have an average of 30 to 40 minutes of homework, four nights a week).  Nightly independent reading is not included in this average. Consideration must be given individual students’ differing learning and ability levels in assigning homework.

2.6.2 Grade Weight of Homework

Homework grades will reflect in both academic and effort grading, as delineated on the report card.

2.6.3 Homework Make-Up Procedures

Illness/Excused Absences:  Students will be given an appropriate amount of time to make-up the work based on the reason for their absence and the amount of work they are capable of doing in consideration of their absence.   

Late Work:  Students will be encouraged to turn-in late or missing homework with at least partial credit given for work that is handed in within a reasonable time period.

Consequences for Chronic Late or Missing Work:  The teacher of a student who is chronic with late and missing homework should have a plan of progressive consequences, which should include parent notification by note or letter, and an in-school or phone conference with the parent(s).  If remediation is not forthcoming, the teacher should notify the administrator.  The teacher will document each step taken in this process.

2.6.4 Guidelines for Appropriate Parent Involvement in Homework

Parent involvement will vary at each grade level, with greater responsibility expected of the students to complete and turn-in homework as they progress through the grades.   Parents should help "facilitate" homework, participate eagerly in assignments that call for parental involvement, but should never do the homework for children.  It should not be the parent’s role to bring in assignments left at home.  Key components of parent involvement are to: 1) Set up a consistent, organized and distraction free place for homework to be done; 2) Establish either a consistent schedule for completing homework, or help create a schedule that reflects a particular week's activities and where nightly homework will fit into it;  3) Check to see that homework assignments are completed;  4)  Express interest in what the student is learning, 5) Maintain communication with the teacher if assignments seem to cause  a student continuing problems; 6) Insist on proper use and care of books and materials.  Parents should not be expected to teach students new skills.

2.6.5 Means by Which Parents Will Be Informed about Expectations

At the beginning of each school year, teachers will provide parents information regarding their classroom and grade level homework expectations, grading policy and suggest ways parents may assistance their children in completing homework assignments.  The principal will publish homework guidelines and parental assistance information in the PTA newsletter and the school’s listserv.  Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 will record their nightly and long-term homework assignments in their reminder binders / calendars, stored in their notebooks.  Teachers will make themselves available to communicate individually with parents regarding homework issues and be open to appropriate modifications in assignments and expectations of a student’s work.

2.6.6 In School Procedures to Teach Study Habits

Teachers will regularly review appropriate general study habits for successfully completing homework.  Teachers will also prepare students for any special requirements for individual assignments, being certain that students have the study skills needed to master the academic content of the assignment.

2.6.7 Access to Resources, Materials, Assistance/Support

It will be the teacher’s responsibility to be sure that students have access to resources, materials and support needed to complete a homework assignment.  Modification of assignments on an individual student basis may be needed for some homework assignments.

2.6.8 Coordination of Assignments, Tests Among Teachers

Planning of homework assignments will be part of the overall grade level team’s and individual teacher’s planning process to insure assignments are standards content-driven, that teachers and grade levels teaming within or across curriculum are aware of homework assignments and testing being given by instructors other than the homeroom teacher, and that the amount of homework conforms to 2.6.1 above.

2.6.9 Procedures for Informing Students of Link Between Homework Assignment and Standards

As with all assignments, teachers will be sure that students understand the relationship between a homework assignment and the individual objectives and overall curriculum goals of the content standard(s) to which the assignment is linked.  This information should be stated at the start of the lesson or upon assignment of the homework.