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Digest of Education Statistics
2011 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 166. Percentage of elementary and secondary school students who do homework outside of school, whose parents check that homework is done, and whose parents help with homework, by frequency and selected student and school characteristics: 2003 and 2007
Year and selected characteristic Percent of students who do homework outside of school Average hours per week spent by students who do home-
work outside of school
Distribution of students who do homework outside of school by how frequently they do homework Percent of students whose parents1  check that homework is done Distribution of students by how frequently their parents1  help with homework
Less than once a week 1 to 2 days per week 3 to 4 days per week 5 or more days a week No help given Less than once a week 1 to 2 days per week 3 to 4 days per week 5 or more days per week
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2003                                                              
All students 95.6 (0.23) 9.1 (0.19) 2.9   (0.16) 15.1   (0.45) 43.9   (0.61) 38.2   (0.57) 85.2 (0.33)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
All elementary school students
      (kindergarten through grade 8)
96.2 (0.26) 9.2 (0.24) 2.3   (0.18) 12.9   (0.43) 46.5   (0.75) 38.3   (0.73) 94.6 (0.29)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Sex                                                              
Male 95.8 (0.41) 9.6 (0.36) 2.7   (0.26) 13.5   (0.58) 47.4   (0.95) 36.4   (0.93) 95.6 (0.38)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Female 96.7 (0.32) 8.7 (0.32) 2.0   (0.23) 12.3   (0.61) 45.5   (1.08) 40.3   (1.09) 93.4 (0.52)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
Race/ethnicity                                                              
White 95.9 (0.37) 9.4 (0.30) 2.8   (0.27) 14.9   (0.64) 47.5   (0.97) 34.7   (1.05) 93.1 (0.44)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Black 97.8 (0.51) 8.0 (0.44) 1.4   (0.35) 8.1   (1.02) 47.6   (1.66) 42.9   (1.61) 98.0 (0.79)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Hispanic 96.3 (0.50) 8.8 (0.57) 1.5   (0.34) 11.8   (0.87) 41.8   (1.37) 44.9   (1.51) 96.4 (0.45)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Asian 95.1 (1.62) 11.1 (1.44)   (†) 6.9   (1.74) 41.1   (4.96) 51.2   (5.30) 96.6 (1.18)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
School type                                                              
Public 96.4 (0.25) 9.1 (0.24) 2.5   (0.20) 13.5   (0.47) 47.1   (0.75) 36.9   (0.73) 95.0 (0.28)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Private 94.6 (0.87) 9.6 (0.58) 1.3   (0.31) 8.0   (0.92) 41.8   (1.90) 49.0   (1.81) 91.4 (1.16)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
Poverty status                                                              
Poor 95.7 (0.71) 9.6 (0.63) 1.3   (0.34) 14.3   (1.33) 42.4   (1.87) 42.0   (1.75) 96.9 (0.77)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Nonpoor 96.3 (0.28) 9.1 (0.25) 2.6   (0.21) 12.6   (0.45) 47.4   (0.77) 37.5   (0.78) 94.0 (0.31)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
All secondary school students
      (grades 9 through 12)
94.2 (0.52) 8.8 (0.25) 4.1   (0.40) 20.3   (0.94) 37.6   (1.01) 38.0   (1.04) 62.8 (0.86)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Sex                                                              
Male 91.3 (0.81) 9.0 (0.42) 6.2   (0.72) 23.6   (1.30) 38.1   (1.45) 32.1   (1.15) 66.6 (1.14)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Female 97.2 (0.56) 8.5 (0.27) 2.1   (0.35) 17.0   (1.23) 37.1   (1.35) 43.8   (1.53) 59.0 (1.47)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
Race/ethnicity                                                              
White 94.2 (0.64) 8.8 (0.33) 4.4   (0.49) 20.2   (1.21) 36.3   (1.20) 39.0   (1.32) 55.4 (1.12)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Black 95.3 (1.05) 9.3 (0.78) 3.4   (0.82) 21.2   (2.48) 42.9   (2.56) 32.6   (2.49) 80.0 (2.13)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Hispanic 92.2 (1.20) 8.1 (0.45) 4.2   (1.15) 20.9   (2.20) 40.1   (2.39) 34.8   (2.45) 78.6 (1.68)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Asian 100.0 (†) 10.4 (1.48)   (†) 6.7 ! (2.65) 32.8   (5.65) 59.0   (5.76) 52.6 (4.94)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
School type                                                              
Public 93.9 (0.58) 8.7 (0.27) 4.6   (0.44) 21.7   (1.03) 38.7   (1.06) 35.0   (1.02) 64.3 (0.92)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Private 96.6 (1.06) 9.9 (0.47)   (†) 7.1   (1.90) 26.9   (2.88) 65.9   (2.92) 49.4 (3.51)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
Poverty status                                                              
Poor 90.1 (1.53) 8.6 (0.74) 4.3   (0.97) 23.2   (3.33) 42.3   (3.16) 30.2   (2.83) 75.3 (2.94)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Nonpoor 95.0 (0.55) 8.8 (0.28) 4.1   (0.43) 19.8   (0.94) 36.7   (1.11) 39.4   (1.05) 60.5 (0.91)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
Coursework                                                              
Enrolled in AP classes 98.0 (0.47) 9.6 (0.38) 2.2   (0.46) 13.4   (1.10) 31.9   (1.44) 52.5   (1.66) 53.4 (1.32)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
Not enrolled in AP classes 91.5 (0.80) 8.2 (0.34) 5.6   (0.67) 25.4   (1.35) 41.8   (1.43) 27.3   (1.30) 69.7 (1.10)   (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                               
2007                                                              
All students 94.4 (0.30) 5.4 (0.06) 3.1   (0.34) 13.1   (0.47) 43.6   (0.62) 40.2   (0.60) 85.4 (0.46) 10.2   (0.41) 20.3 (0.51) 31.7 (0.64) 25.3   (0.59) 12.4   (0.41)
                                                               
All elementary school students
      (kindergarten through grade 8)
95.0 (0.37) 4.7 (0.07) 2.1   (0.23) 12.3   (0.56) 46.2   (0.73) 39.4   (0.68) 95.0 (0.34) 4.3   (0.34) 13.1 (0.52) 32.6 (0.77) 32.9   (0.76) 17.0   (0.56)
Sex                                                              
Male 94.6 (0.51) 4.6 (0.09) 2.1   (0.31) 12.4   (0.71) 47.9   (1.19) 37.6   (1.09) 95.3 (0.47) 4.3   (0.39) 12.9 (0.63) 32.3 (1.02) 32.7   (1.28) 17.8   (0.85)
Female 95.4 (0.53) 4.9 (0.10) 2.1   (0.31) 12.2   (0.96) 44.4   (1.13) 41.3   (1.08) 94.6 (0.48) 4.3   (0.56) 13.4 (0.76) 32.9 (1.17) 33.2   (1.17) 16.1   (0.79)
                                                               
Race/ethnicity                                                              
White 94.7 (0.48) 4.4 (0.07) 2.7   (0.36) 13.7   (0.74) 48.3   (1.05) 35.3   (0.99) 94.0 (0.42) 3.8   (0.37) 15.7 (0.74) 34.9 (0.94) 31.3   (0.92) 14.3   (0.63)
Black 95.5 (1.07) 5.6 (0.27) 1.3 ! (0.53) 7.0   (1.19) 44.4   (3.40) 47.2   (3.11) 98.1 (0.63) 3.5   (1.03) 7.4 (1.14) 25.2 (2.22) 38.3   (3.36) 25.5   (2.38)
Hispanic 94.8 (0.85) 4.7 (0.11) 1.3   (0.33) 13.5   (1.39) 40.7   (1.94) 44.4   (1.74) 96.1 (0.70) 7.1   (0.95) 10.3 (0.91) 30.1 (1.79) 34.0   (1.78) 18.6   (1.52)
Asian 97.7 (0.97) 5.7 (0.39)   (†) 5.1 ! (1.53) 39.1   (4.31) 54.8   (4.48) 88.5 (3.44) 3.1 ! (1.36) 12.8 (2.84) 37.5 (4.52) 30.7   (4.22) 15.9   (2.56)
                                                               
School type                                                              
Public 95.1 (0.38) 4.7 (0.08) 2.0   (0.25) 12.4   (0.62) 46.1   (0.76) 39.4   (0.73) 95.4 (0.36) 4.4   (0.38) 13.1 (0.55) 32.4 (0.86) 32.9   (0.81) 17.2   (0.64)
Private 94.0 (1.01) 4.8 (0.19) 2.7   (0.63) 11.4   (1.96) 46.7   (2.64) 39.2   (2.46) 91.5 (1.19) 3.6   (0.85) 13.6 (1.48) 34.3 (2.10) 33.5   (2.36) 15.2   (1.68)
                                                               
Poverty status                                                              
Poor 94.2 (0.99) 4.7 (0.20) 2.9   (0.72) 16.3   (2.18) 39.0   (2.53) 41.7   (2.21) 97.9 (0.55) 6.1   (1.01) 8.8 (1.29) 28.5 (2.44) 35.2   (2.41) 21.3   (1.90)
Nonpoor 95.2 (0.36) 4.8 (0.08) 1.9   (0.22) 11.3   (0.58) 48.0   (0.80) 38.8   (0.75) 94.2 (0.40) 3.9   (0.33) 14.2 (0.56) 33.7 (0.80) 32.4   (0.72) 15.9   (0.58)
                                                               
Locale                                                              
City 95.2 (0.65) 5.1 (0.13) 1.5   (0.31) 9.1   (0.91) 43.4   (1.58) 46.0   (1.43) 95.4 (0.54) 4.8   (0.67) 11.3 (1.02) 29.1 (1.39) 36.0   (1.41) 18.7   (1.15)
Suburb 95.4 (0.51) 4.9 (0.11) 1.9   (0.37) 9.3   (0.71) 46.1   (1.24) 42.7   (1.19) 93.5 (0.67) 4.4   (0.55) 14.5 (0.85) 33.1 (1.05) 30.8   (1.14) 17.1   (0.91)
Town 93.0 (1.50) 4.1 (0.14) 2.7   (0.79) 18.7552   (1.98) 46.4   (2.29) 32.2   (2.08) 96.0 (1.04) 3.2   (0.80) 14.2 (1.62) 35.7 (2.68) 31.1   (2.31) 15.7   (1.62)
Rural 95.0 (0.85) 4.2 (0.15) 3.2   (0.69) 19.4762   (1.79) 50.6   (1.90) 26.8   (1.63) 96.3 (0.72) 4.1   (0.94) 13.1 (1.30) 35.5 (2.29) 32.8   (2.23) 14.6   (1.37)
                                                               
All secondary school students
     (grades 9 through 12)
93.0 (0.55) 6.8 (0.11) 5.4   (0.85) 14.8   (0.96) 38.0   (1.15) 41.9   (1.18) 64.6 (1.21) 23.1   (1.08) 35.9 (1.26) 29.7 (1.19) 8.8   (0.81) 2.5   (0.34)
Sex                                                              
Male 91.2 (0.80) 6.0 (0.19) 7.4   (1.53) 18.3   (1.59) 38.2   (1.78) 36.0   (1.64) 67.8 (1.88) 24.1   (1.56) 36.9 (1.97) 29.1 (1.84) 8.2   (1.11) 1.8   (0.41)
Female 94.9 (0.79) 7.5 (0.16) 3.3   (0.72) 11.2   (1.10) 37.7   (1.79) 47.9   (1.85) 61.4 (1.78) 22.0   (1.32) 35.0 (1.44) 30.4 (1.35) 9.3   (1.11) 3.3   (0.60)
                                                               
Race/ethnicity                                                              
White 94.5 (0.52) 6.8 (0.13) 4.2   (0.58) 12.9   (0.91) 38.6   (1.51) 44.3   (1.42) 57.2 (1.54) 22.5   (1.28) 41.1 (1.36) 27.7 (1.43) 6.3   (0.66) 2.3   (0.42)
Black 91.8 (1.98) 6.3 (0.38)   (†) 20.1   (3.86) 41.0   (4.72) 29.7   (3.43) 83.1 (2.84) 19.5   (2.97) 26.5 (4.77) 34.4 (4.03) 16.7   (4.45) 2.9 ! (1.13)
Hispanic 90.7 (2.11) 6.4 (0.34) 5.9   (1.29) 17.7   (3.55) 36.6   (2.93) 39.9   (3.03) 75.6 (2.71) 26.2   (2.94) 25.8 (2.38) 33.8 (3.49) 11.0   (1.76) 3.3 ! (1.00)
Asian 93.6 (5.45) 10.3 (1.37) #   (†) 13.8 ! (5.51) 18.5 ! (6.12) 67.7   (7.18) 59.0 (7.69) 26.4   (7.58) 36.1 (7.55) 26.8 (7.61) 7.6 ! (3.11)   (†)
                                                               
School type                                                              
Public 92.3 (0.60) 6.5 (0.11) 5.9   (0.96) 15.9   (1.06) 39.7   (1.26) 38.5   (1.17) 66.1 (1.24) 22.8   (1.16) 35.4 (1.29) 30.0 (1.26) 9.1   (0.87) 2.7   (0.37)
Private 98.5 (0.54) 9.3 (0.39) 0.8 ! (0.35) 5.9   (1.34) 24.0   (2.72) 69.4   (2.89) 53.1 (3.98) 25.0   (2.64) 40.1 (3.68) 27.5 (4.07) 6.1   (1.36) 1.4 ! (0.61)
                                                               
Poverty status                                                              
Poor 89.5 (2.21) 5.5 (0.32)   (†) 19.2   (3.62) 38.7   (4.32) 33.7   (3.69) 81.0 (3.03) 24.2   (3.80) 24.0 (4.21) 36.1 (3.76) 14.0   (3.21) 1.7 ! (0.63)
Nonpoor 93.7 (0.58) 7.0 (0.12) 4.8   (0.53) 13.9   (0.91) 37.8   (1.27) 43.6   (1.37) 61.4 (1.30) 22.8   (1.05) 38.3 (1.19) 28.5 (1.24) 7.7   (0.66) 2.7   (0.38)
                                                               
Coursework                                                              
Enrolled in AP classes 96.9 (0.59) 8.5 (0.22) 2.4   (0.70) 7.5   (0.93) 31.9   (1.81) 58.2   (1.97) 56.3 (2.06) 27.4   (1.90) 36.3 (1.69) 28.3 (1.74) 6.0   (0.99) 1.9   (0.43)
Not enrolled in AP classes 90.6 (0.81) 5.7 (0.13) 7.3   (1.31) 19.5   (1.40) 41.9   (1.56) 31.2   (1.42) 70.1 (1.46) 20.2   (1.14) 35.7 (1.70) 30.7 (1.59) 10.5   (1.23) 2.9   (0.51)
                                                               
Locale                                                              
City 92.8 (1.01) 6.8 (0.22) 6.3   (2.46) 14.0911   (1.90) 35.9   (2.32) 43.7   (2.53) 71.5 (1.89) 22.6   (1.88) 33.4 (2.64) 29.3 (2.00) 12.0   (1.80) 2.7   (0.55)
Suburb 93.6 (0.95) 7.5 (0.17) 4.8   (0.86) 11.4041   (1.27) 36.5   (1.71) 47.4   (2.07) 58.9 (2.00) 23.6   (1.74) 39.1 (1.79) 27.8 (1.68) 7.5   (1.01) 2.0   (0.47)
Town 89.7 (2.16) 6.4 (0.27) 5.4   (1.48) 13.1981   (1.74) 45.9   (3.46) 35.5   (3.17) 64.8 (3.12) 24.3   (2.81) 34.4 (2.96) 27.9 (3.41) 9.3   (1.80) 4.2   (1.54)
Rural 93.9 (1.23) 5.6 (0.29) 5.1   (1.20) 22.7499   (2.76) 39.6   (3.04) 32.6   (2.79) 65.5 (2.94) 22.1   (2.69) 34.4 (2.71) 34.8 (3.43) 6.2   (1.53) 2.5   (0.88)
—Not available.                                                              
†Not applicable.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 30 percent or greater.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1 Refers to one or more parent or other household adult. Only includes students who had homework outside of school.
NOTE: Includes children enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 and ungraded students. Data based on responses of the parent most knowledgeable about the student's education. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Standard errors appear in parentheses. Totals include data for other racial/ethnic groups not separately shown.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey of the National Household Education Surveys Program (PFI-NHES:2003 and 2007). (This table was prepared June 2008.)

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