"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) The Value of Enhanced Reading Opportunities in High Schools: Report Finds Supplemental Reading Programs Can Improve…

The purpose of this action research project report was to increase the homework completion rate of middle school students through the use of interventions. The participants in this study came from one public middle school. The participants were thirty-four 6th grade students in language arts, respectively. The intervention took place from…

Ensuring that students spend time preparing for class has always been one of the challenges of teaching. Indeed, when students are given an assignment that they are required to do before coming to the next lecture--whether it be written exercises or just studying--one wonders how often they are actually doing it. There are many ways in which…

Describes the use of a TV program to review regularly assigned homework in a chemistry class designed for students with a weak chemistry and/or math background. Presents student reactions, conclusions, and future plans for the TV sessions. (GS)

This investigation was performed to determine if different methods of evaluating homework would produce a noticeable difference in unit test performance. Two different high school math classes were given a traditional homework assignment for a 6-week period and then were given a five question mastery check the next 6-week period. The average test…

Reported are responses of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students, their parents and teachers to a survey conducted to determine the need for a homework hotline. Discussion is based on data from 379 randomly selected parents of students in intermediate elementary grades of 21 elementary schools, 333 elementary school teachers, and 392 randomly…

Until recently, empirical literature has focused on the effects of homework regarding specific subjects, rather than overall achievement. This study attempts to fill this void by comparing number of hours and number of homework days to three dependent variables: competency test scores, achievement test scores, and teacher-assigned grades for…

For homework to be effective, a clear, written policy should be developed that considers local needs, sound educational theories, and current research. This handbook is intended to assist school districts, particularly in Pennsylvania, in planning, developing, and implementing homework policies and guidelines. The booklet first briefly reviews the…

One of a series of reports on the International Project for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (in Mathematics).

In this review of literature and research on homework, the author presents historical trends in attitudes by educators toward the role and effectiveness of homework. Definitions and categories of homework are provided, including a summary of widely cited professional opinions regarding its advantages and disadvantages. The results of major surveys…

Three groups (experimental, placebo, and control) of eighth-grade mathematics students were used in a six-week study to ascertain the effect of assigning exploratory homework exercises three days preceding the teaching of a topic. Student achievement, retention, and transfer were measured by two investigator-designed posttests. The experimental…

This literature review reports 11 conclusions including: homework seems preferable to non-homework; effects of homework may be cumulative; drill homework may not be of much value; every homework problem need not be graded. (MP)

Calculators are a big help in extending classroom activities and this article took a look at how the students of tomorrow might use them. (RK)

Many telephone and video homework hotlines have sprung up during the 1980s, partly due to the educational reform movement. This study, which examined junior high student and teacher attitudes toward homework and an experimental homework hotline in Iowa, provides empirical data for other interested school districts. Includes four tables. (MLH)