Is It Against The Law To Assign Schoolwork During Spring Break?

You have legal rights to limit your child’s homework time, and if homework begins to erode family relationships or increase students’ anxiety, it is time to make modifications. Teachers are not allowed to assign homework on days when classes are not being held, such as breaks or weather closures. Assigning homework during Spring Break is cruel, as it is a time for students to take a break and recharge. Some teachers avoid giving work over break, while others choose to assign more homework the week before spring break.

Spring Break is aptly named, a break during the spring. It is not meant to give professors the chance to assign extra assignments, essays, and preparation time. However, some teachers are aware of their students’ spring fever and assign lengthy homework assignments to counteract it. While assigning homework over a vacation period is against the spirit of rest periods and is not best practice, it is certainly within a teacher’s purview.

Homework over break does more good than harm, helping students not to regress and hold onto the material they learned before the break. Homework will not be assigned over extended vacation periods like Thanksgiving, winter break, and spring vacation. Homework cannot be due on Mondays. In my experience, having students do homework over breaks really hurts more than it helps.

In a March 10, 2022, spring break release shared directly with faculty, the Provost stated that students should not have tests and assignments during the week of spring break. Vacation homework must be assigned at least one week prior to the vacation and should take no more time to complete than a typical weekend assignment.