Henrico Schools aims to reduce 'homework overload' through new policy changes
State and local policy changes would also impact make-up work, SOL exams
On June 11, the Henrico School Board is scheduled to vote on proposed policy revisions that would set more limits on how much homework can be assigned and how much weight homework will have in students’ final grades.
Other policy changes would give students with either excused or unexcused absences the opportunity to receive full credit for make-up work if that work is completed within a set timeframe.
Henrico Schools officials presented the revised policies to the school board at its April 30 meeting. Changes to the division’s homework policies would require homework to count as 15% or less of students’ final grades in middle and high schools and prohibit homework from being graded in elementary schools.
HCPS also would restrict how much homework can be given to students during the week; restrictions previously applied only to homework assigned on weekends. In addition, the division would implement more limits on homework load for certain grades:
• Kindergarten: only 20 minutes of homework per day (previously no time allotment set);
• Grades 1-2: only 30 minutes per day;
• Grade 3: only 40 minutes per day;
• Grades 4-5: up to an hour per day;
• Middle school courses: up to 20 minutes per content area after each class (previously up to 30 minutes per content area);
• Credit-bearing courses (applicable to middle and high school students): up to 40 minutes per content area after each class.
Time limits may differ for students in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or dual enrollment classes, the policy regulation states. The policy also prohibits homework from being assigned as a disciplinary consequence.
Changes to make-up work policies would allow students who miss class, regardless of whether the absence was excused or unexcused, to make-up work for full credit within a set timeframe (the number of days a student missed plus one extra day).
The initial policy only guaranteed an opportunity for students with excused absences to make up work for full credit and students with more than three unexcused absences were recommended to receive reduced credit for make-up work.
Changes in how students learn, such as through virtual and work-based programs, have “outpaced” HCPS’ current attendance policies, said school board member Alicia Atkins (Varina District). Current state definitions of excused versus unexcused absences are “dated” when compared to “the realities of what many families experience in schools, especially when it has to deal with an unexcused, unexpected, urgent absence,” she said.
A lot of “thought and time” from multiple stakeholders has helped shape these policy revisions, said school board member Marcie Shea (Tuckahoe District). Proposed changes to the homework policy even were incorporated into a public survey for students, families, and staff.
SOL exams will now count for 10% of high-schoolers’ grades
School board members also discussed a new policy change – passed last year in a bill created by Henrico state senator and Glen Allen High teacher Schuyler VanValkenburg – that will be coming from the state: Standards of Learning exams, taken annually in grades 3-12, will now count for 10% of high school students’ final grades. Students also will be restricted to a two-week testing window just before the end of the school year. These two changes also apply to middle-schoolers taking high school-level SOLs.
School board vice-chair Ryan Young (Fairfield District) said he has a “level of concern” about the new weight SOLs will hold in students’ grades. Currently, SOL scores do not count towards students’ final grades.
“I’ve always been hesitant – as I was following that bill – on what that means for some of our students that struggle with SOLs,” he said.
But school board chair Madison Irving (Three Chopt District), who also is a high school teacher in Chesterfield, said he is “excited” about the changes and believes they will motivate students to perform better on SOLs and allow teachers to better space out content throughout the year. The bill would allow students to retake an SOL within two weeks of when scores are received.
“I think that for too long, we’ve removed a bit of accountability for students, in terms of, ‘Oh, well, you can get multiple retakes on this SOL,’” he said. “I think that giving it weight with 10% of your grade. . . [teachers] can actually more fully get through content and are not rushing with the timeline as it is currently, and students treat it with a level of respect.”
School board passes proposed 2027-2028 calendar with staggered start
At its April 30 meeting, the school board approved the proposed 2027-2028 school calendar, which continues the staggered start for all schools and shifts more student holidays to the spring semester.
The 2027-2028 calendar includes a two-day staggered start, with pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 6 and 9 starting school on Aug. 23 and all grades attending on Aug. 24. Wellness days (all schools closed) are placed on Feb. 21 and April 17, student half days are placed on March 31 and June 2 (the last day of school), with a half clerical day added for staff on March 31.
The school board also reviewed proposed changes to mandatory fees and student activity dues for the 2026-2027 school year, which will be voted on May 14. The tuition for high school Summer Academy courses for Henrico residents would be lowered (from $300 to $200 for one course and from $450 to $300 for two courses) and out-of-county tuition for approved variances would be raised from $6,200 to $6,600.
Changes would also raise some course-related fees for certain Career and Technical Education courses and slightly raise some fees for certain student clubs.
