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Does High School Homework Increase Academic Achievement?

Author

Listed:
  • Kalenkoski, Charlene M.

    (James Madison University)

  • Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff

    (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Abstract

Although previous research has shown that homework improves students' academic achievement, the majority of these studies use data on students' homework time from retrospective questionnaires, which are less accurate than time-diary data. However, most time-diary data sets do not contain outcome measures, and thus are limited in the questions they can answer. One data set that does have both time-diary and outcome information is the combined Child Development Supplement (CDS) and the Transition to Adulthood Survey (TA) of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Students complete time diaries as part of the CDS and then a few years later provide information on outcomes in the TA. The CDS provides us with time diaries for both weekdays and weekend days, providing a good picture of homework over the course of a week rather than on just a single day. For high school graduates, we explore the effects of time spent on homework on two measures of academic achievement: high school GPA and college attendance by age 20. We find that homework time increases the probability of college attendance for boys. In addition, when we look at homework performed as a sole activity, we find that homework increases high school GPA for boys.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalenkoski, Charlene M. & Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff, 2014. "Does High School Homework Increase Academic Achievement?," IZA Discussion Papers 8142, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8142
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhao, Liange & Yuan, Hongbin & Wang, Xueyuan, 2024. "Impact of homework time on adolescent mental health: Evidence from China," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Groen, Jeffrey A. & Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff, 2019. "Snooze or lose: High school start times and academic achievement," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 204-218.
    3. Holford, Angus, 2015. "Youth employment and academic performance: production functions and policy effects," ISER Working Paper Series 2015-06, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    4. Holford, Angus, 2020. "Youth employment, academic performance and labour market outcomes: Production functions and policy effects," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    5. Chu, Luke Yu-Wei & Gershenson, Seth, 2016. "High times: The effect of medical marijuana laws on student time use," Working Paper Series 19417, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Economics and Finance.
    6. Gourley, Patrick, 2021. "Back to basics: How reading the text and taking notes improves learning," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    7. Gibney, Victoria Hunter & West, Kristine L. & Gershenson, Seth, 2022. "Blurred Boundaries: A Day in the Life of a Teacher," IZA Discussion Papers 15548, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Chu, Yu-Wei Luke & Gershenson, Seth, 2018. "High times: The effect of medical marijuana laws on student time use," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 142-153.
    9. Jürges, Hendrik & Khanam, Rasheda, 2021. "Adolescents’ time allocation and skill production," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    homework; academic achievement; human capital; GPA; education;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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