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Sorry, Teach: LAUSD Says You Can Eat That Excess Homework
Photo by squarepants2004j/auntyhuia via Flickr
If you thought you heard a loud cheer in youthful voices erupt across the city this morning, well, it's because the Los Angeles Unified School District has just put in place a new policy that limits homework to just 10% of a student's grade."The policy is intended to account for the myriad urban problems facing the district's mostly low-income, minority population," explains L.A. Now. Plus, you know, you can't generate a test score based on getting homework done, right?
The LAUSD justifies the move by saying that students should not be penalized unilaterally when not everyone goes home to the same support system.
Obviously, being asked to do less homework--or having less emphasis be placed on homework in tabulating grades--is exactly what our low-achieving public school students need.
Many teachers say they are afraid the new policy "will encourage students to slack off assigned work and even reward those who already disregard assignments."
The view supported by research is that students who do their homework do better in school.
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