How To Deal with Late Work

Have a late work policy in place. Ideally, students should understand the repercussions of submitting late work from the first day in your class. Create a late work policy that outlines how you will deal with work that isn't submitted on time. Give a copy to each student, and then ensure that you consistently follow this policy.

Consider the policies at your school. If you don't have a late work policy in place, then the first thing you need to consider when dealing with late work is the protocol at your school. How does administration want you to deal with late work? What have others in your department agreed to as an acceptable way for dealing with late work? Try to follow these guidelines as closely as possible when a late assignment is submitted to you.

Deduct a percentage for each day the assignment is late. If you really don't have too much direction from your school or your colleagues when it comes to dealing with late work, then stick with the old standard. Deduct a grade or a percentage from the student's overall mark for each day that the assignment is submitted late. So if the student would have received an A-, but the assignment was submitted 2 days late, then that would drop the grade to a C- (2 grades). If students see this as a consequence, they should be more apt to submit work on time.

Collect all work, even if not completed, on the due date. Sometimes, you can't accept late work. Maybe you're planning on marking assignments in class that day, or maybe the school year is over. Whatever the reason, it's often not possible to allow students to submit late work. If this is the case, you must collect all work on the date it is due, regardless of its level of completion. Even if students are halfway done, or haven't even begun the assignment, collect the work. If they have no excuse other than poor time management, they should realize that they will be marked on the due date on the work that they have submitted.

Always consider extenuating circumstances (like illness or death). In every situation, there are always considerations to be made. If a student is legitimately unable to meet an assignment deadline, make exceptions for this. Give an ill student an extended deadline (never leave it open), or allow a student who just lost a family member to have a few extra days to submit an assignment. Students should not be penalized for late work because of reasons beyond their control. Try to consider these things when you are determining how you will deal with late work.