I have been on the board of various day schools and am a local elected official. The following is the Board of Education Homework Guidelines from their published policy. I have removed any mention of the town.
Guidelines by Grade Level
In establishing homework guidelines, it is important to consider the individual differences of
students and availability of resources. The following time allotments are a general guide and do
not include time recommended for “standing expectations” such as but not limited to silent
reading, practicing math facts, reviewing high frequency words, and practicing music skills.
Grades K – 5
Grades K-1 – Adjusted to the maturity and readiness of the child
Grade 2 – average 15 – 20 min per night
Grade 3 – average 25 – 30 min per night
Grade 4 – average 35 – 45 min per night
Grade 5 – average 45 – 55 min per night
No homework should be assigned at the elementary level on weekends and school vacations
other than, but not limited to, reinforcement work, and completion of weekly classroom
work.
Grades 6 – 8
Grade 6 – average 60-70 min per night
Grade 7 – average 75-90 min per night
Grade 8 – average 90-120 min per night
Additional homework time may be needed depending on the rigor of courses in a student’s
program of studies.
Grades 9 – 12
2 – 3 hours per night
Additional homework time may be needed depending on the rigor and number of courses in
a student’s program of studies.
As parents we never allowed our children to do homework after 10 PM. If it couldn’t be completed by that time a note was sent to the teacher that they were giving an unhealthy amount of homework and we wanted an immediate meeting with teacher and principal. This usually brought a major reduction in the amount of homework assigned.