Lubbock ISD allows each school to set their own homework policy, where teachers can individualize them according to the grade level.
“We don’t have a district standard homework policy,” LISD Deputy Superintendent Dr. Theresa Williams said. “We leave it up to each individual campus. It’s determined by grade level sometimes, by content area, and by teacher.”
Dr. WIlliams said homework can help instructors understand each students’ progress in the classroom.
“Homework is where a student can have some independent practice, from concepts and things that they’ve learned in the classroom. Homework is an opportunity for application of their learning,” Williams said.
Bayless Elementary School Second Grade Teacher Kristen Swanner said homework also gives her insight into the student’s home-life.
“I’ll see kids that don’t have support at home and they come back to school and they haven’t completed their homework,” Swanner said. “I think sometimes they want that support at home, and that’s when we reach out to our mentors so they can mentor them at school, and they can kind of have someone to work through that homework and feel like they’re not being left out.”
Swanner said she gives about 15 minutes of homework each night. She came up with that plan by other second grade teachers at Bayless.
“We definitely come together as a grade level and make sure that our homework is consistent,” Swanner said. “We all send home the packets on Monday. We all let them self-pace it through the week.”
Bayless Principal said all teachers at their school meet by grade level and make up a homework policy that coordinates with everyone so students progress at the same level.
