Multiple studies suggest that the amount of homework students receive is just too much. A heavy workload is shown to negatively impact the lives of students mentally, physically, and emotionally.

The National Education Association recommends 10 minutes of homework per grade level, meaning as high schoolers, we should expect anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours a night. A researcher at Stanford University suggests that any more than two hours of homework per night is counterproductive.

However, high school student Shaina-Lynne Manring said she gets around four hours of work per day, and at one point even spent seven hours doing excessive amounts of homework.

The whole purpose of homework is to help prepare students for their future. Homework reinforces what is taught in class, helps parents become engaged in their child’s education, and helps students learn responsibility and time management.

“We give homework mainly to check for understanding. Whether or not the students understand the concept will show on their homework since they don’t have a teacher present to help them through the assignment,” said a Roosevelt High School biology teacher.

Education scholar Denise Pope also found that the physical well being of students is being affected.

“I can’t find the time to stop doing homework and exercise,” Manring said.

Not only do students not exercise, but they miss out on opportunities to gain social skills. They are skipping out on extracurriculars, family dinners, and sometimes don’t have time to hang out with friends on the weekend.  

After a survey of 4,317 students, it was found that when students don’t have leisure time, they struggle to find a healthy balance in their lives. They reported themselves as emotionally drained and lacking self-confidence.

Sophomore Rease Fujita states that she’s at school for nearly 12 hours per day. She wakes up before 7 a.m. and stays at school until 7 p.m. for volleyball practice. Once that is done, she rushes home to shower, eat dinner, and then, instead of going to sleep to rest up for the next day, she must begin homework.

“It’s the last thing I want to do after a long day at school.”