That it makes them smarter and improves their marks?
Right. Overwhelmingly, the research shows no academic advantage to homework, particularly for younger children. In fact, for younger children there isn't even a correlation between the amount of homework done and any measure of academic achievement.
By younger children you're talking up to high school?
That's right. At the high school level there is a correlation between homework done and standardized achievement measures, but the correlation is weak. It tends to fall apart when you use more sophisticated statistical methods, and in any case it doesn't show that homework was responsible for the increased achievement.
http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/ed..._133063_133063
Very good article. I am impressed that someone finally spoke up on this subject.