No Weekend Homework for South Jersey Students

Galloway Township elementary school students can hit the playground, and not the books, on their weekends from now on.

The Galloway Township Public School District's school board has adopted a policy that bans teachers from assigning written homework over the weekend for students in kindergarten through sixth grade, reports the Press of Atlantic City.

The policy allows teachers to give tests and quizzes on Mondays, as long as it’s not a Monday that following a holiday break, reports the Press of Atlantic City. Therefore, reading, long-term projects and studying for tests are allowed.

Board members say they want to ensure students have time to spend with their families and to participate in other activities.

"The policy formalizes the best practices already existing in the school district with minor revisions to align with the research," Giaquinto wrote in an email, according to the Press of Atlantic City. "Effective implementation of the policy will help ensure that all stakeholders better understand solid homework practices, that parents, guardians and students know what to expect, and that students' experiences are consistent across the school district."

Teachers can assign no more than 10 minutes of homework, multiplied by the child's grade level, per weeknight.

The school superintendent in May initially proposed including middle school students.

District officials told The Press of Atlantic City that research shows there's little correlation between homework and overall achievement in elementary school.