Start School Later Howard County!
Our Goal: Safe and healthy school start times for
​all Howard County Public Schools System (HCPSS) students. 
See our Elections page for candidate views on safe, healthy, and age-appropriate school hours.  
See our Resources page for flyers, graphics, and videos just for Start School Later Howard County.

History: 

February 3, 2021: HCPSS announced that the hybrid school schedule which begins March 1st, will delay all schools 20 minutes.  Elementary schools will start between 8:35 and 9:45 a.m., middle schools will begin between 8 and 8:45 a.m., and the first bell for all 12 high schools will be 7:45 a.m.

The Continuity of Learning Schedule posted by HCPSS as a result of COVID-19 school closure, has no middle or high school starting class before 8 a.m. and some students may start at 9 a.m.  Monday check-ins are a 9 a.m.  Assignments due on Fridays at 10 a.m. 

HCPSS has discussed start times in an on-again/off-again manner since at least ~2013.  Dr. Chao Wu, HCPSS Board of Education member, summarized some of the various options discussed over the past few years in an April 18, 2019 blog post, along with links to related documents.  

On December 19, 2017, The Board of Education was presented with 4 options of school start times that allows all schools to start between 8 a.m. and 9:25 a.m.  They voted 6-1 to recind their February 2017 committment of change in 2018-2019 school year and school hours will remain the same.

On Febraury 23, 2017, the Board of Education voted 6-2 to ask the Start Time Committee to develop new scenarios that have no school starting before 8 a.m. and no school starting after 9:25 a.m.

On January 12, 2017 the Board of Education was presented with the community's feedback on the four options. At this meeting, the Board delayed any start time implementation until the 2018-2019 school year.  A public hearing was held February 7th.

On November 17, 2016, the Board of Education was presented with four options from the  School Start and Dismissal Time Committee (SSDT).  

The Howard County School Start and Closing Time Committee website can be found here.  

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Join Us!  
If you are social, join our Facebook Group or Like our Facebook Page. Or send us an email using the contact form below.

Sign our petition
to Howard County Board of Education

We respectfully request our school board to officially recognize the large and compelling body of research regarding teen sleep and academic achievement, and, with a resolution, to set a goal to start all schools in Howard County, MD, after 8:00 AM.

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News and Action:

February 22, 2021: HCPSS BOE approved the budget request for a Digital Education Center that would allow students to attend virtual school between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.  

February 3, 2021: HCPSS announced that the hybrid school schedule which begins March 1st, will delay all schools 20 minutes.  Elementary schools will start between 8:35 and 9:45 a.m., middle schools will begin between 8 and 8:45 a.m., and the first bell for all 12 high schools will be 7:45 a.m.

April 7, 2020: Board of Education to approve the contract for new school bus routing software with Tyler Technologies. $335,904.50 for the first year and $614,363.88 over first five years.   

On January 15, 2019, three students testifed on HCPSS's budget asking for healthy, safe, and age appropriate school hours.  Read the Howard County Times article.   (Watch the video at the bottom of this page.)

On December 3, 2018, a  student testified before the HCPSS Board of Education.   (Watch the video at the bottom of this page.)
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The People's Voice sent questionnaires to June 2018 Board of Education Primary Candidates.  School start times is question 11.  

On December 19, the HCPSS Board of Education voted to recind its February 2017 commitment to healthy and safe school hours.  Read the Columbia Flier's article. 

On December 7, 2017, a parent and student testified before the HCPSS Board of Education.  As part of the parent's submitted testimony, quotes from athletes regarding the importance of sleep were included. (Watch the video at the bottom of this page.)

On April 27-28, SSL HoCo attended the Adolescent Sleep, Health, and School Start Time Conference in Washington, D.C. 

The Baltimore Sun covers the February 7, 2017 Public Forum.

The Howard County Times explains the University of Maryland's involvement in Howard County's bus routing/bell times analysis. January 20, 2017. 

​Other articles about Dr. Ali Haghani (University of Maryland) and his bus routing mathmatical solution:​ The Academic Minute, School Transportation News, Salon, 9News (Colorado), School Transportation News, and University of Maryland's Fall 2017 Terp Alumni Magazine.

The Howard County Times Editorial Board supports healthy and safe school hours.  December 15, 2016.

The November 30, 2016 start/dismissal time forum was covered by WMAR/ABC2.

Letter to the Editor in the Baltimore Sun about Howard County's absentee rate and the role of early school start times.  October 4, 2016

On April 28, 2016, the Board of Education voted to implement later school hours in the 2017-2018 school year.

The Orange Ribbon Bill for Healthy School Hours  (House Bill 39) was signed into law by Governor Hogan on April 26, 2016. This legislation is the first of its type across the U.S. supporting school districts implementing change.  Here is our press release. 
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​"School Start Times Under Review"  Ellicot City Patch  January 30, 2013

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