Students returned to school earlier this month after enjoying time at home and taking a break from schoolwork. They resumed their routines of getting up early, riding the bus, sitting in class, participating in extracurricular activities and doing homework. While Longfellow students are following similar routines, there is one that is significantly different – no homework.

A ‘No Homework Policy’ was adopted at Longfellow Elementary for the current school year. The policy guidelines state: “Work sent home will not be graded, no consequences for unreturned or incomplete work (however, in grades 3-5 assignments may be longer or more in depth which may require time outside of class to complete. These would not be assignments in addition to classwork and will be graded.) The guidelines continue: We highly encourage ALL students to read at home and practice their math facts, word cards, etc. PLEASE spend time with your child which may also include reviewing what they learned at school that day, helping you cook dinner, going for a walk, etc. If you would like additional practice in any subject for him/her, please contact the classroom teacher.”

At Longfellow Elementary School, the building level leadership team meets monthly to discuss areas of strengths/weaknesses relating to academic achievement, research-based teaching strategies, district level team information, etc. At a meeting last spring during an activity relating to current initiatives, homework was a topic being discussed. In using a quadrant chart for a rating, all members except one had labeled homework under the ‘avoid it’ or ‘drop it’ category due to the struggle with students completing and turning in the homework.

We felt like this at least warranted some research. A 2006 study by Harris Cooper, Director of Duke University’s Program in Education, found that homework was not correlated with achievement for elementary school students. For these children, the report states that “the average correlation between time spent on homework and achievement…hovered around zero,” or no relationship. Also, according to Alfie Kohn, author and lecturer in the areas of education, parenting, and human behavior, “no research has ever found a benefit to assigning homework (of any kind or in any amount) in elementary school. In fact, there isn’t even a positive correlation between, on the one hand, having younger children do some homework (vs. none), or more (vs. less), and, on the other hand, any measure of achievement.”

What about motivation? In Visible Learning, by John Hattie, he explains that “for too many students, homework reinforces that they cannot learn by themselves, and that they cannot do the schoolwork. For these students, homework can undermine motivation, internalize incorrect routines and strategies, and reinforce less effective study habits, especially for elementary students” (page 235).

At this point in the school year, we have been able to collect two surveys from parents. In October at our Title 1 Night, we had twenty-six parents complete a survey regarding the No Homework Policy. The majority of parents said that their child seems more positive about coming/being at school and they have been able to spend more quality time with their child. About three-fourths of the parents agreed with the No Homework Policy at that time.

This same survey was given again at the Parent Teacher Conferences in November, which included seventy-four parents. The results were similar with those above in the first two areas with 82% of parents stating their child seems more positive about coming/being at school, 90% said they have been able to spend more quality time with their child. At this time, 58% agree with the policy. Based on some of the comments from parents, a primary concern is they feel as if they do not know what their child is learning. As a school, we will continue to communicate with the parents on what is happening in the classrooms.

Longfellow teachers continue to involve the students in monitoring their own learning. As students track their own data, they can see standards that they have met and where they need additional work. Our hope is that they are encouraged to take responsibility of their own learning both at school and home.

Longfellow will continue to survey parents, students, and staff to guide our steps for the next school year.