Should school start later?

🕘 There is a nationwide movement to delay school start times to no earlier than 8:30 in the morning due to the dangers for teens attending school early.

💰 Changing a school start time can be costly, but supporters argue that the cost is worth it.

🕘 Most American middle and high schools currently start before 8:30 am, with some starting as early as 5:00 am for school bus pickups.

🕑 In the late 19th century, school days started later in the morning and had a long lunch break, allowing students to help their families before school.

🚌 School start times began to change in the 1970s due to budget cuts, with high schools and middle schools starting earlier to accommodate bus schedules.

💤 Research suggests that early school start times have negative impacts on health and safety, leading to the recommendation for later start times by the CDC.

⏰ Teenagers need at least 8.5 hours of sleep per night, but most aren't getting enough.

🌙 Circadian rhythms change during adolescence, causing teenagers to release melatonin later and feel sleepy later.

🏫 Moving school start times later can lead to more alert students and fewer instances of students sleeping in class.

⏰ Teens who are sleep-deprived may engage in riskier behaviors, such as drunk driving and aggression.

📚 Sleep deprivation is linked to poor academic performance in students.

🏫 Efforts are being made by organizations to advocate for later school start times.

🕒 American high schools started before the recommended time

⏰ Seattle moved their high school start times almost an hour later resulting in improved grades and attendance

🏫 Concerns about the impact on working parents, logistics for families, and cost of implementing later start times

🚌 Changing school start times can have significant financial implications for school districts.

🕒 Calculating bus routes involves considering various factors, such as bus ride duration and pickup/dropoff times.

🔄 Finding the optimal solution depends on the specific needs and constraints of each school district.

🕑 Moving middle and high school start times later is healthier and safer for schools.

💰 The decision to move school start times depends on political will and logistical and financial support.

❓ The question is whether the benefits of changing start times outweigh the effort and resources required.