A California senator has presented a measure that would prohibit instructors from giving their kids an excessive quantity of homework.
In February, California State Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo (D) sponsored the Healthy Homework Act, or AB 2999, stating in a Fox40 interview that it would have a “big impact” on the pupils.
The provisions of AB 2999 mandate that educational agencies, local school officials, and administration officials “develop and update “homework rules” at least one time every five years,” while also considering the available research on the effects of homework on students’ mental and physical health.
Along with considering how much time students should spend on homework, educational agencies, school boards, and administrators must also consider the reasonable amount of time that pupils should spend on homework, learning disabilities, and the possibility that some students may not have “access to the internet.”
Schiavo declared, “I think this is going to have a significant influence on the pupils.” “We need to make sure we are tackling issues that are both successful and do not hurt students since the times have changed and our homework policies do not always move with the times.”
Sixth-grader Sofia Johnson, the daughter of Schiavo, told the publication that schoolwork is “overwhelming” and “exhausting.”
“I find it disheartening that almost my whole day, from the moment I get up till the moment I go to bed, is devoted to academics,” Johnson continued.
Harris Cooper, a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Duke University, stated that although homework has its advantages, “there is a limit to how much youngsters may profit from home study,” according to the American Psychological Association.
Cooper continued by saying that, generally speaking, he agreed with the recommendation that kids do no more than ten minutes of homework for every grade.
On the other hand, the dearth of resources available to kids at home is also a disadvantage of homework.
According to the American Psychological Association:
“However, homework can also be an issue for people who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Children from more affluent households are more likely to have access to tools like computers, Internet connections, designated study spaces, and parents who are typically better educated and readily accessible to assist with challenging homework. Children from underprivileged backgrounds are more likely to work after-school jobs or spend the nights alone at home while their parents work, according to Lea Theodore, PhD, a school psychology professor at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. They are less likely to have access to computers or a peaceful study space.”
After more than 300,000 students were allegedly surveyed, Schiavo’s bill was brought about by Standford University and Challenge Success, a group that “partners with schools to elevate student voice and create research-based, equity-centered programs that improve students’ well-being.”
According to the poll, 45% of students cited schoolwork as their main cause of stress.
“This is something that may practically affect kids’ mental health overnight if it is such a cause of stress for kids, and we know taking the burden off kids’ plates will make a big difference in their mental health,” Schiavo told the publication.
