As part of the process, school board President John Baker said officials weighed the opinions of parents concerned about the numerous evening hours consumed by homework, as well as teachers who are primarily interested in academic rigor.

“We are hearing different things from both groups,” said Baker.

The discussion arrives in South San Francisco as school districts across the Peninsula are considering similar policies, resulting in some deciding to reduce the amount of time students must commit to homework each day.

Some districts which have trimmed homework assignments noted the effort to ensure students are getting enough sleep, suggesting homework is often a culprit in keeping students up at night.

Recognizing the popularity of extracurricular activities among students along with studies showing diminished academic returns after sustained stretches dedicated to homework, Baker said officials were compelled to consider changes.

“Parents are finding it difficult, especially those with younger kids, to keep up with level of homework assigned,” said Baker.

Lauren Kitchen, who has two kids in the district, shared a similar sentiment.

“It is a struggle every night to get homework done. I really hate that because of homework that is mostly busywork, we have to have a fight every night,” she said in an email.

Baker balanced that perspective against the position of district teachers who believe there are strong connections between performance in the classroom and the amount of studying done at home.

“The teachers’ key concern is academic performance, and they saw a correlation between homework and academic performance,” he said.

Baker added greater collaboration and coordination among teachers could go far in assuring students are not assigned a burdensome amount of homework.

Recognizing the differing positions on the issue, Baker said officials agreed to take more time studying both sides and seeking additional data around the value of homework. As they dig deeper into the issue, Baker said a central concern will be assuring all district students stand to benefit from the homework policy.

“We are working with academic faculty that will come up with a policy that addresses those concerns and also promote equity,” said Baker.

Superintendent Shawnterra Moore echoed that sentiment in an email.

“We want to ensure that homework is purposeful, aligned to learning objectives and tailored to the needs of our students,” she said. “That is, we want to make sure that students whose parents work full time are not unduly disadvantaged over students with parents who may have more time to assist their children.”

To that end, Baker noted the two children he has in the district benefit greatly from the homework assistance they receive in after-school care. Such programs can allow working families to manage professional obligations and homework assignments, while leaving time for relaxation and bonding in the evening, he said.

“If we didn’t have that, we would find it hard to get the homework done and have family time,” he said.

Noting the dearth of available after-school programs locally, Baker said officials are committed to developing a policy which fits the needs of those who do not enjoy such access.

“If we are giving a lot of homework to kids whose parents don’t speak English, or can’t hire a tutor, is that fair to them when we have more economically well off families who can afford the extra help?,” he said.

Kitchen too said there is insufficient time in the day for most working parents to help their kids with homework, and that she is one of the lucky ones because she does not work.

“It is too much,” she said, adding the existing homework requirements impede the ability of her children to participate in other enrichment programs.

With that in mind, Baker said if officials remain committed to assigning a considerable amount of homework, they should also identify supplemental programs designed to help those students who need additional assistance.

Beyond the programmatic implications of a potential policy amendment, Baker said officials will also keep an eye to the traditional repercussions of assigning homework as well.

“We don’t want to develop a greater dislike of school,” he said.

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Note to readers: this article has been amended to reflect the position of school board President John Baker.