More and more parents are choosing to opt their kids out of homework during the school year. It may come as a surprise to many families that this is even an option, but most schools (particularly public schools) cannot require kids to do school work outside of school hours.
There is mounting evidence that lots of homework may actually do more harm than good when it comes to a child’s academic performance, stress level, and quality of life. In fact, one study conducted by Stanford revealed that the majority of students cite homework as their primary source of stress.
Of course, there may still be benefits to small amounts of homework, like reinforcing skills and knowledge—and some kids might benefit more than others. No matter how a child feels about homework, parents should be able to come to the best arrangement for their child by working closely with their teachers and keeping the communication ongoing.
Why families might opt out of homework
The National Education Association (NEA) recommends no more than 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level, but many students are being assigned far greater amounts of homework than is recommended. This can contribute to increased stress for all family members, lack of time for family activities, and other logistical issues in the household.
Homework can also be an equity issue in the classroom, because not all students have the same access to help or resources as their peers. While the classroom can help to level the playing field by providing all students with the same instructors, supplies, and space to focus, home environments can look very different from student to student.
Many parents who are opting kids out of homework do so because they want their time after school to be dedicated to resting, recharging, bonding with family, and exploring non-academic interests. One parent even found that many teachers agreed that homework was unnecessary and taking up too much time.
How to opt kids out of homework
In order to opt kids out of homework, parents should write a letter to each of their child’s teachers to let them know that their child won’t be completing any homework and that their grade should not be impacted. The letter should set the expectation that their child should not be penalized for not turning in homework assignments.
This sample letter can be adapted for any family or school—
Dear [Teacher],
My kid loves your class! I just want to let you know that they will not be completing any homework this year. Research indicates that it does not improve school performance, and I would rather my child have time to recharge and spend time with the family after their long days at school. Because of this, I will be opting them out of homework. Their grade should not be impacted, nor should they be penalized in any way for not completing homework assignments. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss this further.
Thank you,
[Parent]
For parents who do see some value in small amounts of homework, a letter might look more like the one below—
Dear [Teacher],
My child will be completing no more than 20 minutes of homework per school day (since they’re in 2nd grade, and no more than 10 minutes per night per grade level is recommended by the NEA). Since you’re assigning homework that takes longer than 20 minutes per night, I’m open to your suggestions as to which subject or type of work my child should prioritize each week for the greatest benefit. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thank you,
[Parent]
It’s also important to consider that, due to implicit or explicit bias, some families might receive more pushback than others from teachers and faculty. For example, a white, wealthy parent might get very little resistance to their request, while a Black parent in a lower income community might be met with negative assumptions and lots of questions.
Because of this, it can be helpful for parents to discuss their choices with each other and organize a collective request to opt out of or reduce the load of homework. It can also help to come prepared with research and documentation stating that homework is not a legal requirement.
