If you’ve ever moved states in the middle of your schooling or had friends going to schools in different states, you may have noticed that different states tend to have different amounts of homework on average. When you look at the data, it definitely corroborates that observation. In fact, when it comes down to pure data, students in low-homework states can be spending as much as 86% more time on homework than students in high-homework states. Which states have the most homework, and how might that impact your homework experience?
Elementary and Middle School
Although kids in elementary and middle schools don’t typically have a lot of homework to do every day, many elementary and middle schools do assign homework to teach kids how to do homework more effectively.
On the low end of the spectrum, these kids tend to have around half an hour of homework every night.
- Rhode Island: 30 minutes
- Kansas: 30 minutes
- Nevada: 30 minutes
- Oregon: 33 minutes
- Arkansas: 34.3 minutes
However, the high end of the spectrum is almost double that in some states.
- California: 56 minutes
- Maine: 55.7 minutes
- Louisiana: 54 minutes
- New Mexico: 54 minutes
- Washington: 53 minutes
High School
High school homework actually tends to be very difficult for many students to juggle. After all, high schoolers typically spend upwards of five hours per day in school, extracurricular activities aside, and also have to do homework on top of it all.
On the absolute lowest end of the spectrum, high schoolers typically have at least an hour of homework every day.
- Kansas: 60 minutes
- Rhode Island: 60 minutes
- Utah: 60 minutes
- Iowa: 62.3 minutes
- Oklahoma: 63.8 minutes
However, the highest end of the spectrum is higher than over a dozen college averages.
- Vermont: 110 minutes
- Maine: 107.2 minutes
- West Virginia: 102 minutes
- Louisiana: 102 minutes
- Connecticut: 93 minutes
College
College typically has the most homework out of any time off school. That’s large because college typically requires less time in the classroom, leading to more time spent studying at home. On average, however, it’s actually only slightly more labor-intensive than many high school averages.
The lowest college averages fall well into similar numbers as middle-of-the-road high school averages.
- Delaware: 85 minutes
- Hawaii: 88 minutes
- New York: 90 minutes
- Rhode Island: 90 minutes
- Indiana: 94 minutes
At the highest end, you’ll find well over two hours of homework per day on average.
- Idaho: 141.3 minutes
- Oregon: 140 minutes
- Nebraska: 135 minutes
- Wisconsin: 135 minutes
- Kentucky: 134.3 minutes
Invest in Time-Tested Strategies, Not More Homework
With all this homework required of kids as young as elementary school, does it actually have an impact? Surely there’s a reason for it. After all, why would teachers assign it otherwise?
The thing is, homework itself doesn’t seem to do a whole lot. States with more homework on average don’t tend to have higher SAT test scores or GPA, both indicators of better prospects after leaving school.
Instead, it’s a good idea to invest in time-tested strategies that will actually make an impact on your test scores. Plus, learning strategies can make it easier for you to complete your homework.
Tutoring options, including online resources that share class notes and study guides, tend to actually have an impact on letter grades and test scores. Take advantage of these resources instead of just toiling away at homework that won’t change your future opportunities.
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