Homework is one of the most important practices for establishing a successful academic environment. From the literature and an elementary school teacher survey, seven purposes of homework were identified: practice, participation, personal development, parent-child relations, policy, public relations, and punishment. Using data from elementary school teachers, principals, parents and students from a survey in 16 Maryland school districts (Becker and Epstein, 1982), this paper explores the correlates of homework activities and student behaviors in school. Six homework variables are correlated with reading and math achievements, homework performance, and classroom behavior: homework time, homework quality, student attitudes, teacher practices, parent abilities and resources, and other student and family factors. Results indicate that simple association of homework time and student achievement is not enough to understand when homework is important for effective teaching and learning. It is not clear that increasing homework time improves or maintains the achievement, homework behaviors, or school attitudes of low achievers. (BS)