A 1999 University of Michigan study found that the amount of time that children, ages 3 to 11, spent doing homework nearly doubled between 1981 and 1997, the Associated Press has reported. Local officials, however, say that homework levels are constantly fluctuating.

"It really varies from teacher to teacher, grade to grade and the time of year," said Manaugh Elementary School Principal Rob Lee.

"Occasionally we will get a call from parents saying that their kids are getting too much homework," said Lee. "Usually when that happens, we sit down and consult with the parents and the teacher to find out why. Often it is the student who is not using the time they are given during the school day to get the work done. It’s a case of poor time management."

Sue Baacke, a Cortez school board member and mother of two school age children, said that she had heard complaints from parents on both sides of the homework issue: Some parents say their kids are getting too much home work and others say that they don’t get enough.

"It really depends on the teacher," Baacke said.

"I usually spend 15 to 20 minutes each night (recommended by the teacher) reading to my kindergartner, and my third grader usually has between a half hour and forty minutes of homework each night," said Baacke, who said that her third grader’s homework is supposed to be mostly independent but that she is involved with about half of the process.

"Once he has studied the material on his own, we will go back and quiz him," she said, "mostly on his spelling words and times tables."

"I do think that 15 to 20 minutes for kindergartners and 45 minutes or less for third graders starts good habits for the students and the family," Baacke said. "For third graders or less, however, anything more than an hour becomes non-productive."

Mark Rappe, Montezuma-Cortez High School principal, says that because of the four-block day at MCHS (as opposed to a traditional six- or eight-period schedule), students end up with more homework.

"These four-block days are popular in the South and the West and consists of four 88 minute periods," said Rappe.

"During these periods the teachers cover a lot more material than they would during a normal class period, but it also means more independent practice for the student — especially for students in advanced classes," he said. "With this type of set-up we cover a years’ worth of work in a half a year."

Rappe said that when the idea of a four-block day was first introduced it was controversial in some places, and it remains so today. The Re-1 accountability committee is surveying the community about attitudes and experiences related to the four-period day.

"This type of set-up does allow the teachers to spend more time with the students and develop a better relationship with them," Rappe said.

"One thing that we have done in order to improve the amount of homework that gets returned to the teachers has been to watch which kids are getting on the afternoon bus with their work materials," Rappe said. Students who repeatedly go home without their work will be counseled by teachers and administrators to help them grow accustomed to practicing their lessons on their own.

Re-1 Assistant Superintend-ent Vic Bruce said that there is no written policy stating how much homework a teacher should assign.

"The teachers are often working together in teams, which means that they are in communication with each other," said Bruce. "This way they know what the other classes are working on."

The assistant superintendent says that homework is supposed to be independent practice for the students, which reinforces what is being taught in the classroom and shows teachers that their students have retained the information and are ready to move on to the next lesson.

"Parents should give support by providing their kids with a positive learning environment which includes a quiet space to work and the proper materials like pencils and paper," Bruce said.