A school in St. Paul, Minnesota is trying something new. Instead of grading students based on homework, tests, extra-credit and participation, it will assess them solely on how well they understand the material, either through tests or projects.
According to The Star Tribune, the director of teaching and learning for the district. “I’d love to get away from the idea of a report card. I’d love to think about a continuous process in which parents, students and teachers have a great sense of how the student is progressing.”
Now if the school would move away from tests and state standards, too….
Stop Homework 
This article was very badly written. The homework isn’t really optional, it just isn’t graded. The homework completion rates have remained about the same.
And the true purpose is to get the students’ grades in line with the standardized tests!
“In the end, the school hopes students’ zero through 4 ratings will more faithfully predict how well students do on state tests … in a nationwide movement about state standards, grading based on the standards is the next logical step.”
Hardly a step in the direction of true learning …
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hi i think homework should be optional
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being forced to follow pre-determined standards and take test for which you are graded on the memorization of useless facts doesn’t involve true learning. True learning is used through out life and can be applied. It is for these reason that the way standards are used is just to say that you are fit for something or not regardless of the relevance. Now I dare you to tell me that standards and tests are the only way to truly learn.
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I would just like to say that this article should have had more info like as to how the students progress is going, and what kids are learning without the homework. I personally dont think that all homework should be optional. I think that homework, like school projects and unfinished classwork should be graded in order to help create responsibility and keep the students up with the rest of the class. As well, I do agree that homework creates a lot of problems such as: stress, lack of outdoor exersize, lack of respnsibility, skipping meals, less family time, etc. Homework also has an impact on the parents and family. If I were to vote, I’d say that homework should not nessisarily be optional, but limited as abouve stated.
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