The Center School Homework Policy

Time Commitment

In general, a TCS student should expect to spend up to one hour on homework per subject every time the class meets. Classes with long-term projects/performances will provide checkpoints throughout but may require increased hours of homework before final deadlines.

Note: Advanced Placement (AP) classes & Advanced Film classes (levels 3 & 4) are an exception to the one hour guideline.

Time and support for homework are available for students during Tutorial and Homework Club.

Purpose, Guidelines, and Grading Criteria

The purpose, guidelines, and grading criteria for the homework assignment will be made clear to the student at the time it is assigned. This will be communicated in the learning objective for the assignment, in the guidelines for the assignment or in the course syllabus. These should be posted in a visible location in the classroom, on the Source, or provided to the student/family in writing.

Types of Homework

There are three categories of homework assignments and each has its own late work grading policy. Teachers will identify the category into which each assignment falls when it is assigned.

Category A: Projects and Long Term Assignments

For assignments in this category, students must be informed what percent reduction in his/her grade he/she can expect for work turned in late and specify the conditions, if any, under which a late pass will be accepted.

Category B: Preparation Assignments

For assignments whose completion is necessary to participate in the activity taking place the next time the class meets, (e.g., a write-up preparing for a science lab. , a reading reflection for a class discussion, bringing in an object to use for a drawing),no late work will be accepted for a grade due to the time-sensitive nature of the assignment.

Category C: Practice Assignments

Late work will be accepted for a reduced grade or with a late pass. The conditions under which late work will be accepted and the grade reduction amount must be spelled out in the individual instructor’s class syllabus that is provided to the student/family at the beginning of the semester.

*When individual homework contracts, IEPs, and 504s circumvent any part of the school-wide homework policy, these documents must specify how late assignments will be graded and the conditions under which the work will be accepted for a grade.

**Late work cut-off dates are set for each quarter by the school. Work from each quarter will not be accepted after the identified date.

***For every class meeting that students miss due to an excused absence, they will be given one class meeting to make up the missing assignment(s) without a reduction in their grade. Students will not receive credit for assignments missed due to an unexcused absence.

This school-based homework policy will be reviewed each fall as part of our school’s Continuous School Improvement Plan (C-SIP).