TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - They say research shows homework at the elementary school level isn't as meaningful as reading to a child.
So, that's the plan, 20 minutes a night instead of daily assignments.
We spoke to Leon County School Board member Rosanne Wood about this new approach.
She said studies show the pros and cons of homework but reading and encouraging families to get involved is the key.
Wood said parents have shared concerns about their kids being overworked for the sake of testing and Marion County's new policy could be a solution.
"It has to be quality homework for there to be any sort of pro to it. Busy work, of course, is not productive," said Wood. "The main thing we want is parents reading with their children at night. That has proven to be the highest corollary of good reading -- it's that they read what they want to read with their parents 20 minutes a night. So, we certainly don't want homework to get in the way of that.
The Marion County School District says students will pick books and texts that inspire and encourage them to read.
This is not a policy Wood says Leon County needs to adopt, but it should prompt a conversation about what's needed in a child's education.
