Most of the homework given to students by teachers is make-up work that barely covers the topic or challenges the student to learn something new. According to Richard Walker, an educational psychologist at the University of Sydney, data shows that in countries where more time is spent on homework, students score lower on a standardized test called the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA. (Huffington Post). Students who do remedial homework score significantly lower than students who don't do it at all. For example, the country of Finland has little to no homework in its education system and has a high school graduation rate of 93%, compared to the United States' rate of 75%. Standardized tests do not play a major role in Finnish education. New York students take up to 10 standardized tests before high school, while Finnish students take only one standardized test before turning 16. This is because the teacher to student ratio in Finland is 1 to 12, giving teachers more time to interact with students on a personal level and creating a better learning environment. Teachers are also required to earn a master's degree before they can teach. (Neonam). Finland is a perfect example of why homework is not necessary for students to thrive and learn