Alcona Elementary ditches homework for the year

ALPENA, Mich. – A story your child may love…no more homework for the rest of the school year!

Here’s the catch — one school ditched the paper assignments for a new 20–minute program aimed to promote reading literacy in students.

Alcona Elementary School kick–started their Students and Reading in the Evening program, otherwise known as SPRITE.

Students at all grade levels are required to read aloud to their parent or guardian each night. Adults sign–off on the short reading session, and students submit their logs to the teacher on a daily basis.

Plus, the program levels out the amount of time parents spend helping their child with homework.

Principal Tim Lee said SPRITE boosts test scores and reading comprehension.

“Like anything, if you’re in athletics or any activity,” said Lee, “in order to get better you practice at it. The same goes for reading. So just having that consistency for 20 minutes a day…is benefiting.”