Much of the homework students are asked to do aligns to the Common Core State Standards, finds a new analysis from the Center for American Progress—but it overwhelmingly focuses on rote learning.
In a sample of nearly 200 pieces of homework collected nationwide, the researchers identified the skills required for each task.
They found 76 percent of math homework involved performing procedures, and another 11 percent involved memorization. By contrast, none of the math tasks asked students to solve nonroutine problems or make connections.
In language arts homework, 47 percent involved memorization, and 33 percent involved performing procedures. Only 18 percent of the homework asked students to demonstrate understanding, and 3 percent involved generalizing or proving arguments.
