Join us in helping teens get the sleep they need to stay healthy, safe, and focused with later school start times.
Teen Sleep Deprivation is a Silent EpidemicAbout 75% of U.S. high school students get insufficient sleep. About 25% report falling asleep in class at least once a week.
Chronic sleep loss causes significant damage to teenagers, particularly in the following areas:
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Learning
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Emotional Well-Being
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Health & Safety
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This problem has a clear, evidence‑based solution.
Aligning school schedules with teen biology leads to more and better sleep, along with dramatic improvements in school performance, safety, and mental health. Change is already happening. From individual schools to entire states, communities are adopting sleep‑friendly schedules that put student health and well-being first. In 2019, California became the first U.S. state to set a minimum start time—a milestone made possible by our nationwide grassroots alliance. We're helping school communities everywhere do the same. |
Our Mission and Initiatives
Our mission is to ensure schools give children of every age an opportunity to get the essential sleep they need to be healthy, safe, and successful.
Our international coalition of over 165 volunteer-led chapters, health professionals, sleep specialists, educators, parents, students, and other concerned citizens is making a difference. Hundreds of school districts have switched to healthier, safer school hours that let kids get the sleep their growing brains and bodies need.
We support our coalition through vital Community Guidance, Sleep Health Education, Advocacy and Awareness, and Implementation Consulting programs.
Our international coalition of over 165 volunteer-led chapters, health professionals, sleep specialists, educators, parents, students, and other concerned citizens is making a difference. Hundreds of school districts have switched to healthier, safer school hours that let kids get the sleep their growing brains and bodies need.
We support our coalition through vital Community Guidance, Sleep Health Education, Advocacy and Awareness, and Implementation Consulting programs.
Our Impact
165+ chapters
worldwide |
Thousands of
media mentions |
Improved millions
of teens’ lives |
28 states
introduced bills 12 signed into law |
What People are Saying
Having expertise, encouragement, and access to data made it possible for our local core to be much more effective than we would have been on our own." — Cindy Jatul, High School Teacher & Chapter Leader (WA) 
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I've been waiting 20 years for this! Thank you for helping it finally happen. My grandson will be a 9th grader next fall and later start times will make his high school years so much better! - Parent (MD) 
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Weston would not have been able to make the change without the help of Start School Later. - Chun Lim, Chapter Leader (MA) 
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In the Media: Teen Sleep & The Start School Later Movement
The need to start school later is no secret. Every year hundreds of media outlets publish stories on urgent calls from
health professionals, sleep researchers, and educators to start schools at times that give students a chance to get
sufficient sleep.
We support the media in developing these stories.
health professionals, sleep researchers, and educators to start schools at times that give students a chance to get
sufficient sleep.
We support the media in developing these stories.
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Widespread Support for Sleep-Friendly School Start Times
Leading health and education organizations now recommend that middle and high schools start class no earlier than 8:30 a.m. so that students have an opportunity to get healthy sleep.
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Chapters Acting for ChangeOur volunteer-led chapters engage with their local communities, building support among parents, students, and school staff, and working with school officials to promote safer, healthier school hours.
To empower these local efforts, we provide strategic guidance, facilitate connections, and equip volunteers with essential tools and support. |
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Make a GiftYour support allows us to
every student, everywhere. |
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