NATCHEZ — August saw the return of the school year and, with it, the return of homework.

Generations of students have complained about homework loads, but a recent study shows students in lower grade levels might actually be getting too much homework.

In the Natchez-Adams School District, Curriculum Director Delarious Stewart said homework is not meant to be punitive.

“Homework in our district is actually meant to supplement classroom learning experiences and to increase higher levels of thought and engagement in our students,” Stewart said.

Concordia Parish School District Superintendent Paul Nelson said homework is not punitive in Concordia parish either.

“You don’t give homework because the kids are loud today,” Nelson said.

But even if it isn’t punitive, how much is too much?

A study titled “Homework and Family Stress: With Consideration of Parents’ Self Confidence, Educational Level, and Cultural Background,” published online July 15 in The American Journal of Family Therapy indicates some students were receiving much higher homework loads than they should.

The study involved 1,173 parent respondents from the Greater Providence, R.I., area and measured homework levels using the standard endorsed by the National Education Association.

The NEA standard is 10 minutes of homework for every grade level. A student in the first grade should have 10 minutes of homework, second-graders should have 20 and so on.

However, the study found some first-graders were spending three times the recommended amount of time on homework assignments. It also found some kindergartners, who are not supposed to have homework under the NEA standard, had approximately half an hour of homework.

The 10-minute standard is one thing NASD uses to measure normal amounts of homework assigned in the district, Stewart said, but teachers are not forced to give exactly 10 minutes per grade level.

“The Natchez-Adams School District takes the position that teachers have the professional knowledge, skills and disposition to implement best practice as it relates to the amount of homework,” Stewart said.

Stewart said teachers consult with principals over lesson plans, and it would take away their ability to exercise their professional judgement for the district to say how much homework they can give.

While Stewart said the district is aware of the need for time away from school to “decompress,” it also needs to balance that need with giving students necessary skills such as reading, especially with all of the emphasis the state is putting on literacy skills.

“I can’t be done just at school,” Stewart said.

In Concordia Parish, Nelson said no district-wide policy on homework exists there, although individual schools in the district might have more specific policies.

“Those are what we consider to be site-based decisions,” Nelson said.

But Nelson said they expect teachers to be reasonable and homework should have a purpose.

“It should be an extension of what’s going on in the classroom,” Nelson said.

If a parent has concerns, Nelson said they should contact their principals and possibly have a discussion with their children’s teachers.

Stephanie and Don Butler’s two daughters, first-grader Marlee Butler, 6, and kindergartner Maddie Butler, 5, both attend Vidalia Lower Elementary.

Stephanie Butler said homework is done as soon as her daughters come home.

“I talk them through it because they’re both learning to read,” Butler said.

Butler said she’s received a weekly breakdown of homework for both of her daughters on a sheet from their teachers.

“It’s very self-explanatory,” Butler said.

Homework wasn’t abundant the first few weeks of school, but Butler expects homework to take approximately 20 minutes a night as time goes on, given her past experience.

“I think it’s a normal amount for their age,” Butler said.

Butler said she would consider it excessive if her daughters started to lose focus while doing it, but she said they haven’t.

Ashley Beach and Jonathan Beach’s son, Matthew Beach, 5, is in kindergarten at Gilmer McLaurin Elementary School.

Beach said through the second week of school no homework had been given, but they spend time going over things such as colors and shapes each night. The goal is to spend 30 minutes working on the basics.

Beach isn’t too concerned about her youngest son’s homework when it does come though.

“Kindergarten homework is not that bad,” Beach said.

However, it’s different for her older sons, Samuel Beach, 7, and Dalton Beach, 11.

A few nights stand out in her memory.

“Last year it took us four hours to do my son’s homework in the fifth grade,” Beach said.

“It gets overbearing sometimes,” Beach said.