We have NO homework over summers. I think part of the reason is that we start school in early Aug so the AP classes have enough time to be ready by the test date. There’s no need to start lessons over summertime.
Unfortunately my kids always had quite a bit of summer hw for AP and IB classes and we also start in early Aug. Both kids had to read “How to Read Literature…” the summer before sophomore year. I think D found it useful but no way S would ever admit that. I’m resenting summer homework more this year because S is already very busy and I’d much rather have him spend time on essays or test prep.
No AP homework this summer, but DS19 had homework for APUSH last summer .
My D19 has summer AP homework (3 classes) plus she is working on her senior project this summer too (as are most of her classmates). Senior project can be very time consuming at our school. It is drawn out all senior year in their English class and it finishes next May with a 15 minute presentation in front of a mixed panel of peers, teachers and community members. It’s best to get the mandatory (volunteer) hours done over the summer prior to senior year. My D19 also has a summer job plus summer crew (rowing) obligations (she is one of the captain’s next year). Yet - I can tell she is definitely relaxed this summer despite all her summer tasks - which is a treat to see.
Every time I hear about summer homework, I’m incredibly happy to live in a school district where summer homework is against policy.
Summer homework is against policy, except for AP classes. Which means S19 has homework for at least 3 classes. We need to check on the 4th. Sigh.
There is a summer reading list for AP Lit. The Dubliners, All the Pretty Horses and Their Eyes Were Watching God. In looking at the assignments, S17 does not have to read them all but getting started would help him in September. I am strongly encouraging pleasure reading–The Book Thief. Unlike me, reading is not a pleasure for him. Sigh…
My S also does not like to read and he has to read two books and write a paper. It’s not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but I don’t know why they just don’t let the kids have the summer off.
@me29034 Agreed. Plus, I want my son to get his Common App essay done and look at a few supplementals before school starts.
I see no reason for homework in summer. Do parents ever push back on this issue with their school boards? I wonder what the reasoning is for summer homework.
@homerdog I don’t know if anyone has tried to change the summer HW policy. Our is listed as optional on the school’s web page, but kids that do not start work on some of the reading have to play a bit of catch up at the beginning–not really how you want to start your senior year.
@firstwavemom I wonder how much time they give the kids to do the reading once they are back in school. If they’re expected to be done reading the book(s) in the first two weeks, that’s one thing. If they have more time until the first assignment is due, then I guess it’s just a judgement call on whether the student can wait until fall to read the assignment.
I know our classes can move at a fast clip so I guess that’s the downside to no summer homework. S19 had four weeks to read A Prayer for Owen Meany freshman year and that was over 600 pages. And it had to be annotated! Couldn’t get behind because there were weekly quizzes. It was a lot of reading on top of other classes.
@homerdog I have the assignment list and there’s a timed writing on one of the Dubliners’ stories the first week of school. Also they have to do some character profile for Their Eyes Were Watching God right when they get back. Not sure how that works. I guess the priority will be to read that book and one of the stories from Dubliners. Saving that for late July and August when S19’s coaching job is over.
I love John Irving, but Owen Meany is looong!
My kid is reading 3 books for AP Lit this summer, but he got to choose two of them. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is his current read, I forget the other two.
His play premiered this past weekend. On Friday the heat outside was brutal but they shut off the air conditioning just before the show to help acoustics. They learned their lesson and turned on the AC for the Saturday and Sunday shows. Saturday after the show we were invited out to an after-show party at a local diner. It was rollicking and lasted until 1:30 AM. There had been a drunk lady at the Saturday performance, so the actors shared stories about drunken, high, and lustful audience members at various performances. Very, very funny.
We are taking a non-college road trip to see my parents over the next few days. The college visit road trip happens in August but I haven’t booked any hotels yet. I guess I’m procrastinating it. The colleges we are visiting are all on the maybe list, and I keep feeling like the maybe list is still in flux.
My kid has some reading homework and I think AP Physics homework to do over the summer. I don’t think it’s too time consuming. It will just cut into his 24/7 " free time" summer a bit so I don’t mind, lol. Gets him to use his brain a little bit over the summer.
If he was really busy with a job, extra curriculars, volunteering etc then I’d be a bit annoyed, but since he has a pretty relaxing summer scheduled I think having a little homework and his college apps to work on will give him something constructive to do.
My kids brought their summer reading books to the grandparents’. Please feel free to bet on how much reading will get done before they come home next week. 
D19 just has AP Gov summer work. She has to read a political book of her choice (that does need to get approved) and do a weekly summary of a political news article about a randomly assigned state IIRC.
D22 has to read an assigned book for English. We were shocked that she didn’t have social studies summer work, either the lesson plans have drastically changed or someone forgot to assign it.
Last year, D had summer work and a test in AP bio immediately upon returning. This year there is work in AP Lang and AP chem. I assume there will be immediate tests as well. It stinks.
@gallentjill Have parents ever asked why? Our AP Lang and AP Chem kids don’t have summer work and do very well on the AP tests! I’d be calling someone out on this and getting answers. Being tested upon returning to school is crazy.
Our district up until this year had summer reading assigned to all students 6th grade and up and there was usually a quiz or some other assignent related to the reading due the first week of school. My D is elated that for her senior year they finally got rid of the summer reading which everyone just crammed in the last week of summer anyway.
I have never heard of summer homework for AP classes. My daughter will have 5 AP classes this year and no summer work. Like @homerdog said our district seems to score very well on the AP tests without summer work so I don’t see any point in it. @mom2twogirls that sounds like a lot of work for summer. (really a weekly summary?) Glad D’s AP Gov doesn’t have that, like others have said especially this summer they need to be focused on college essays and apps.