[wideminded]

There is a lot more homework now in elementary school than there used to be. It IS stressful for students and families. I think the theory is that all this homework and testing is going to help us catch up with other countries. But is there any evidence that this is actually working?

A popular theory on FR is that the public school day is filled up with liberal indoctrination and that is why they can't teach as much of the basics during the school day as before and need to assign so much homework. But, having a child in public school, it appears to me that the actual major reason must be something else.

[Jonty30]

If you took a look at the old textbooks, you’d find that at the same grade level, students were learning much more advanced material even a generation or two ago.

[dr_lew]

But, having a child in public school, it appears to me that the actual major reason must be something else.

I feel a song coming on. Not sure how the lyrics line up, but I felt it coming on!

[Pelham]

I had some experience with a heavy workload in elementary school in the 60s. The school singled out a few of us who tested high and put us in a separate class where they just buried us with homework.

What it taught me is an undying hatred of ‘educators’ who dream up programs like that.