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Zeeland Public Schools are releasing new guidelines for homework.
ZEELAND, Mich. (WZZM) -- Zeeland Public Schools are releasing new guidelines for homework after a number of parents questioned the amount of homework their children were assigned everyday.
On Thursday, fifth grader Adam Hoeve read his latest homework assignment. "Read" is the key word, because reading triples the time he spends on homework.
"If I'm not reading, it takes about ten or 20 minutes," Adam says. "If I'm reading, it takes about 50 minutes."
That's close to the expected amount of homework, according to new guidelines set forth by Zeeland Public Schools.
"You'll get the horror stories of a student getting five or six hours of homework," says Dave Barry, Zeeland's superintendent.
"A couple of our kids do struggle," says parent Carol Garnsey. "It's a challenge to get them to finish their homework in time."
But other students were not assigned any homework.
"We think it should not matter what teacher a student has or the building your son or daughter is in," says Barry.
Now there's a set amount of homework hours for each grade, ranging from 15 minutes for kindergarten students one to three days a week - to up to two hours a night for high school students every night.
The focus is also on making homework more effective than it used to be.
"It's definitely needed, but if it's homework to be busy work I don't approve," says Garnsey.
"You can talk to any student in my class, and I don't think they're overwhelmed," says Ashley Pierce, a fifth grade teacher.
With Adam's positive attitude he's on track for a bright future at the district - without letting a little extra homework get in his way.