Families & the Community News in Brief

More Parents Troubled by Children’s Homework

September 30, 2014 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A national survey finds that more than half of parents with children in grades K-8 acknowledged they aren’t up to the task of helping their children with homework.

The National Center for Families Learning survey, released Sept. 18, found that 60 percent of parents admitted their children’s homework was a struggle. That’s up about 10 percentage points from last year’s survey.

The survey found that a third of parents said they didn’t understand the subject matter, a significant decrease from last year’s 50 percent. The survey did find, however, that about a quarter of parents said they were simply too busy to provide homework help, up somewhat from last year’s survey.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the October 01, 2014 edition of Education Week as More Parents Troubled by Children’s Homework

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Hidden Costs of Special Ed Vacancies: Solutions for Your District
When provider vacancies hit, students feel it first. Hear what district leaders are doing to keep IEP-related services on track.
Content provided by Huddle Up
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Turn Athletic Facilities Into School-Wide Communication Hubs
Districts are turning idle scoreboards into revenue streams, student learning opportunities, and community platforms. See how yours can too.
Content provided by Digital Scoreboards
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Middle and High School Math: How to Get Struggling Learners on Track
Join this free virtual event to uncover the nature of students’ weaknesses in secondary-level math and find a path forward.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Families & the Community Opinion Why Those Disengaged Parents in Your School Deserve a Second Look
An assistant principal outlines four ways to foster greater family involvement.
Collin Haynes
5 min read
Colorful overlapping silhouettes of families and children. family, children, father, mother, parent, protect,
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Families & the Community Opinion 'Easy, Positive, and Judgment Free.' How Families Can Support Their Children
Educators share their best advice for working with parents and guardians on student learning.
12 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Families & the Community Their School Burned Down. Then They Picked Up Their Paintbrushes
A group of 15 students in California used art to celebrate and grieve the school they lost to fire.
4 min read
Cassatt mural on February 2026.
The reimagined “Modern Woman” mural, inspired by artist Mary Cassatt, is seen in February 2026 at Aveson’s temporary campus in Pasadena, Calif. Created by students displaced by the Eaton fire, the mural incorporates imagery from their former Altadena campus and serves as a symbol of healing, memory, and community after the wildfire.
Studio Tutto
Families & the Community Schools Named for César Chavez Face Renaming Debates After Assault Allegations
Dozens of schools named for the labor leader are weighing how to respond to new allegations.
6 min read
A sanitation worker picks up trash next to a mural of César Chavez in Bakersfield, Calif., Thursday, March 19, 2026.
A sanitation worker picks up trash next to a mural of César Chavez in Bakersfield, Calif., on March 19, 2026. Schools around the country are weighing how to respond to new allegations about the labor leader.
Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP