​(Severna Park, MD) Today, the Nevada State Board of Education voted to continue to move forward a regulation to “set guidelines and guardrails for high school start times in all school districts and charter schools within the state.” The vote comes during Mental Health Awareness Week.
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Under the proposed regulation, Nevada high schools would be required to start no earlier than 8:00 a.m., or districts must provide alternative start time options to families and students. Annual waivers would be available for schools that show they face unique challenges.

While pediatricians and sleep experts have long urged later school start times, the start school later movement took off with the formation of Start School Later in 2011, enabling advocates around the country to share resources and experiences. The grassroots non-profit now has over 150 volunteer-run chapters in four countries, 32 U.S. states, Washington DC, and international schools worldwide. 
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“Nevada’s proposed regulation is an innovative model for other states to consider,” said Snider. “Setting a floor on how early high schools can start makes healthy hours the expectation, rather than the exception. We know this is what’s best for kids, and we know it can be done. Kudos to Nevada for recognizing that and taking action.”   ​

During puberty, adolescents are biologically programmed to fall asleep 2-3 hours later than children and adults, and to wake later in the morning. Many find it difficult to fall asleep before 11 p.m. or to wake before 8 a.m.

“Even in typical years, common excuses for not starting class when teens are awake and ready to learn are almost always resolvable,” says Snider. “But now these excuses--which include school buses and after-school activities--are gone.”

Unfortunately, not all schools are taking advantage of this unique school year to schedule learning better aligned with adolescent biology. “If you see a ‘teenage monster’ return to your home when the school year starts,” warns retired pediatrician Max Van Gilder, MD, Start School Later statewide coordinator for New York, “ that monster is a normal teen who is sleep deprived, and the reason they are sleep deprived is because of early start times.”

Recent research from Seattle aligns with dozens of other studies showing that when school start times move later in the morning, teens don’t stay up later staring at their devices as some skeptics predicted; instead, they actually get more sleep. One 2020 study suggests students are sleeping more during the pandemic, and parents report that their kids are happier, more communicative, and less moody.

Because most U.S. students are not returning to in-person school full-time this year, there is an unique opportunity to let teens sleep according to their unique circadian rhythms (body clocks). The American Academy of Pediatrics , American Medical Association , CDC (CDC infographic ), National PTA and many other medical and scientific and education experts agree that adolescents aren’t ready to learn at the early-morning hours required by most U.S. school districts, and that requiring attendance before 8:30 a.m. is unsafe and unhealthy.

“Adequate sleep – along with good nutrition and regular exercise – is the foundation of a healthy body and mind,” says Snider. “During this pandemic, helping ensure teens have strong immune systems and resilient emotional health is more important than ever.”

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Start School Later is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to ensure school start times compatible with health, safety, education, and equity. Visit their website at: http://www.startschoollater.net

CONTACT:
​Elinore Boeke
Communications Director
Start School Later, Inc.
​media@startschoollater.net 

​Local seminars hosted last week by the nonprofit Start School Later (SSL) drew participants from over 50 Pennsylvania school districts as well as education stakeholders from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The one-day workshops, “Adolescent Health and School Start Times: Science, Strategies, Tactics, and Logistics,” were held in Eastern Pennsylvania on November 13 and 14, and attracted over 175 superintendents, board members, administrators, health professionals, and community advocates. 

​Because of changes in sleep that occur during puberty, experts recommend that middle and high schools start after 8:30 a.m. While the research is clear regarding the positive impacts of later school day start times on adolescent health and learning, including decreased teen car crashes and improvements in graduation rates, many school administrators have voiced the need for assistance in implementing change in their districts. Speakers at the Pennsylvania workshops included transportation consultants, adolescent sleep experts, and administrators who have successfully adopted later school start times in their districts.
 
“When student health, safety, and learning is in your hands, you want to have as much information as possible,” noted Phyllis Payne, SSL Implementation Director. “Many schools have adopted healthier school start times,  and workshops like these give decision-makers a chance to collaborate with and learn from school leaders who have made the change. We look forward to hosting similar events in other localities with the help of generous sponsors.”
 
Support for the Pennsylvania workshops was provided by the Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, Decision Support Group, School Bus Consultants, State Farm, and Penn Medicine – Radnor, Powell Family Foundation. Start School Later would like to extend appreciation to the sponsors, the panel members, and to local volunteers Gail Karafin, Kate Doyle, Amy Goldman, Cheryl Hertzog, Cheryl Horsey, and Elizabeth Rambeau. 

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​In a show of support for science and child health, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Senate Bill 328 (SB 328) into law. The bill, introduced by Senator Anthony Portantino, was passed by the state legislature and sent to Governor Newsom for approval. Under this new law, California’s middle schools can start required classes no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Specific scheduling within those parameters is left to local school districts, with allowances made for some rural communities. The guidelines go into effect in the 2022 school year for most districts.

​“California parents, doctors, and, most importantly, sleep-deprived teens are thrilled that Governor Newsom signed the Healthy School Start Times Bill into law,” stated Joy Wake, co-leader of Start School Later California, a chapter of the national nonprofit Start School Later. “We thank the Governor, and the bipartisan support of the California legislature, for enacting this pivotal children’s health legislation. These leaders recognized that they have the authority, responsibility, and moral imperative to protect adolescents from school start times that are scientifically proven to harm teen health and safety.”
 
The law is based on recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics and many other health, education, and civic groups that have been calling for changes in school start times as early as 1993. Adolescents experience a later shift in sleep cycle during puberty, and research has consistently shown that later wake times for teens can improve academic functioning as well as boost health and reduce teen car crashes. SB328 was co-sponsored by Start School Later and the California State PTA, with strong support from the California Medical Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Psychiatric Association, and myriad health, education, and safety organizations. In a unique move, over 120 research and health experts from around the nation signed a consensus letter supporting the bill.
 
“California has just made child protection and public health history with legislation to ensure healthy, safe, and equitable school hours,” said Terra Ziporyn Snider, PhD, Start School Later’s Executive Director and Co-Founder. “States across the nation should now feel empowered to follow California’s lead.”
 
School administrators and state lawmakers who wish to learn more about the science behind healthy school start times are encouraged to visit the website of Start School Later at www.startschoollater.net.

A consensus letter has been forwarded to Members of the California Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom, urging the passage of Senate Bill 328 (SB 328), a bill that would set healthier limits on how early in the day state middle and high schools can start classes.
 
Because of changes in the sleep cycle that occur during puberty, health experts recommend that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The bill, introduced by Senator Anthony Portantino, is co-sponsored by the nonprofit Start School Later and the California State PTA and has widespread support from a host of health, safety, and education groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics California, the California Medical Association, the California Police Chiefs Association, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the California Psychiatric Association, the National Sleep Foundation, and myriad hospitals and universities. 

The consensus letter was signed by experts within California and around the U.S.A., including Dr. William Dement (the “Father of Sleep Medicine”), Dr. Mark Rosekind (Former Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA), and Dr. Matthew Walker (author of the New York Times bestselling book Why We Sleep). A prior version of the bill was passed by the state legislature last year, but vetoed by Governor Brown, who voiced concerns about local control.
 
“This consensus letter confirms that setting reasonable limits on morning school schedules rests on an unprecedentedly strong evidence base. The time has come to turn this science into policy before we subject yet another generation of children to unsafe, unhealthy hours,” notes Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider, Executive Director of Start School Later. “The eyes of the nation are on this landmark piece of legislation.”
 
Start School Later is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to ensure school start times compatible with health, safety, education, and equity. Visit their website at www.startschoollater.net.
 
The consensus letter can be viewed at https://www.startschoollater.net/uploads/9/7/9/6/9796500/consensus_letter_for_research_health_medical_experts_sb328_090919.pdf
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Schools in at least 22 states to delay bell times this year.

[Updated 8/17/19] -- School districts in at least 22 states plan to delay morning bells this year according to the national non-profit Start School Later (SSL). Topping the list are 5 districts in Ohio, 5 in Pennsylvania, and 4 in Massachusetts and Colorado.
 
“Every year, we see more districts moving bell times back to more reasonable hours in response to the research," observes SSL's Executive Director Terra Ziporyn Snider, PhD. “Health professionals have been telling us for years that teenagers cannot get healthy sleep when they have to wake at 5 or 6 a.m. for class. It’s gratifying to see so many communities prioritizing student health and safety by turning these recommendations into school policy.”

The many organizations calling for later start times include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and (with endorsement by both the National Education Association and National PTA) the Society for Behavioral Medicine. All of these groups recommend that middle and high schools start class no earlier than 8:30 a.m. While not every district delaying bell times this year meets this goal, notes Snider, all are moving to schedules that are healthier and safer for many more students.
 
Districts announcing plans to start school later for the 2019/2020 school year include, by state:
 
California: Francis Parker, San Diego USD, Vallejo City
Colorado: Boulder Valley, Coronado, Fort Collins (Poudre School District), Mesa County Valley
Connecticut: Rocky Hill
Delaware: Christina School District
Florida: Pinellas County, Volusia County
Georgia: Jefferson County
Illinois: Woodland District 50
Indiana: Concord, Noblesville, Westfield Washington
Massachusetts: Belmont, Mashpee, Scituate, Wayland
Minnesota: Brooklyn Center School District, St. Paul, Westonka
Mississippi: Oxford School District
Missouri: Affton School District
New York: Katonah-Lewisboro, Webster Central
Ohio: Ashtabula, Brecksville-Broadville Heights City Schools, Cincinnati, Mason City, North Ridgefield
Oklahoma: Bixby Public Schools
Oregon: Bend, Centennial School District
Pennsylvania: Phoenixville, Pines-Richland, Radnor, South Middletown, Tredyffrin/Easttown
Rhode Island: Barrington
Tennessee: Wilson County
Texas: San Angelo ISD
Washington: Anacortes, Tacoma, Walla Walla
Wisconsin: Big Foot, Madison

While no private or government group officially tracks U.S. school start times, SSL regularly watches progress toward healthier school-day start times and provides support to communities making these changes. To learn more about the research and success stories, visit SSL’s website at www.startschoollater.net.
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Governor vetoes school start time bill supported by leading medical groups.
 
California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 328, legislation that would have restricted middle and high schools from starting before 8:30 a.m. – a recommendation that has been made by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control, and the American Medical Association. The bill, introduced by Senator Anthony Portantino, was sponsored by the nonprofit Start School Later and supported by a host of health, safety, and education groups including the California State PTA, the California Police Chiefs Association, the California Federation of Teachers, and myriad state hospitals and universities. 

“We’re tremendously thankful to Senator Portantino, with whom we’ve worked since the bill’s earliest days, for tirelessly championing healthy start times,” said Lisa Lewis, Co-Chair of the California chapter of Start School Later. “We’ll continue to advocate on behalf of our state’s teens, given that too-early start times pose a significant public-health issue.”
 
Child health was a primary driving force behind the bill, with proponents citing decades’ worth of research on the unique sleep rhythms of adolescents and the negative impacts of early school start times and disrupted sleep, including: increased risk for diabetes, sports injuries, depression, substance abuse, school suspensions, and poorer academic performance. Proponents also touted a recent report from the RAND Corporation outlining state-level economic benefits of moving start times to after 8:30 a.m., based on estimated improved graduation rates and decreased teen car crashes.
 
The governor voiced concerns about local control in his veto, despite the fact that the first position statement recommending later school start times was issued in 1993 by the Minnesota Medical Association. According to reports from the CDC, a quarter of a century after the MMA statement the majority of schools in the U.S. do not comply with the minimum standards recommended by experts.
 
“Most districts need help if they’re going to do the right thing and avoid subjecting another generation to what we now know are counterproductive and dangerous conditions,” states Dr. Terra Ziporyn Snider, Co-founder and Executive Director of Start School Later. “The fact that this bill got as far is it did is a testament to the strength of the science, the importance of the issue to kids’ health, and the passion of grassroots advocates. Eventually a bill like this, created in the best interests of children, will pass. It’s only a matter of time.”
 
Start School Later is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to ensure school start times compatible with health, safety, education, and equity. Visit their website at www.startschoollater.net
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