From DenverPost.com - Middle School The Weak Link?: "In ad survey of 1,400 middle-school faculty conducted about four years ago, less than 60 percent of teachers reported assigning one hour or more of homework per week, with only one in three consistently requiring students to revise their work. While 50 percent of those surveyed listed 'helping students develop socially' as a top priority, just 37 percent rated 'helping students prepare for college-prep classes' as important." (Best as I can tell, kids have no trouble with "social development." - Barry)