Last modified: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 1:43 AM EDT Homework time to be mandated in Attleboro BY RICK FOSTER / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - The city's public school students will be expected to perform homework ranging from an average of 10 minutes to 80 minutes a night under a new policy being considered by the school committee. The homework policy would set graduated guidelines, ranging from 10 minutes at the first-grade level to 80 minutes in eighth grade, and an average of 30 minutes per class per night for high school students. The guidelines, which were presented by the committee's policy subcommittee, were tabled earlier this week, and could be formally approved at the next school board meeting. The proposal is the product of a year of research by a special committee advised by Brennan Middle School Assistant Principal Patricia Knox. Under the guidelines, students would be expected to perform homework after school hours and complete their work when assigned. Homework could include reading or writing assignments, practice of classroom skills, tasks to be performed as part of long-term projects and studying for tests and quizzes. In addition to assigned work, every student would be expected to read on a nightly basis. The proposed policy also sets out responsibilities of students, teachers and parents with respect to the homework process and encourages parents to speak to their child's teacher if they have questions or problems regarding homework.