Homework is schoolwork that teachers assign for students to complete outside regular class time, usually at home.
It ranges from a page of math problems to a semester-long research project. What it’s for, and how much of it makes sense, depends heavily on age.
The main types
Education researchers usually sort homework by purpose:
- Practice. Repeating a skill taught that day, such as solving equations or spelling words. The most common type.
- Preparation. Reading or watching something before class so the lesson can build on it.
- Extension. Applying learning to a new situation, like a lab write-up or an essay.
- Integration. Long projects that pull several skills together, such as a science fair entry.
A fifth kind, finishing classwork you didn’t get to, isn’t really designed as homework but makes up a lot of it.
How much is typical
The most cited guideline is the 10-minute rule: about 10 minutes per night per grade level. Real loads vary far more than that, by school, course level and teacher. Our guide on how much homework is too much gathers the research, and the homework statistics page has the national survey numbers.
Who decides
Homework policies are local. Some districts cap minutes per grade, ban weekend work or drop homework from grades entirely; our survey of district homework policies shows the range. The debate over whether it helps at all is old. See who invented homework for the real history and should homework be banned for both sides.
Practical help
To keep assignments from piling up, try the free homework planner. For using AI on homework without crossing into cheating, read using AI honestly and the glossary entry on academic integrity.