Success Stories
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If you think it's too hard to return schools to healthier hours, here's a sampling of schools in 46 states that have done it already or are doing it in the next school year. While some of these schedules aren't ideal, they all give students a chance for healthier sleep than the typical American middle or high school.
Hundreds of school communities across the USA - and beyond - have found ways to make this happen by prioritizing health and learning. Below we feature schools that have come to our attention. 
What's "Success"?At Start School Later, we don't consider any story a complete success if any student of any age is required to be in class before 8 a.m. or middle and high school students required to be in class before 8:30 a.m. However, we also consider progress to be a kind of success story. We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
That's why in addition to celebrating full "success stories," we also recognize districts moving in the right direction to the benefit of the larger community. And, of course, we encourage them to keep working and progressing until every child of every age goes to school at safe, healthy, equitable hours. |
Featured Success Story: Greenwich, CTLooking for a school district that puts kids first and prioritizes their health? Look to Greenwich, one of a growing number of districts that built their schedule around teens’ sleep needs.
Wheatleigh Dunham led the Start School Later Greenwich CT Chapter’s successful effort to start school later, which benefited his youngest child. "We've raised three boys. Our last has only gone to school waking up in the light. The difference is profound and difficult to fully describe. His grades and school performance are much higher than his brothers. His athletics, mood, behavior, family dynamics, diet, socialization, health, time management, focus, are also improved.
“It's honestly been the single best improvement to my parenting experience,” said Dunham. “It is beyond me why all districts don't listen to the medical and academic experts and switch to healthy start times. There is no price tag you can put on this long list of proven benefits.” If you have a success story to share, please LET US KNOW! And if you see our information is out-of-date or inaccurate, please let us know as well.
Is there a data repository of school start time change by district? Here's the answer. |
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Alabama
Phenix City Sending the early grades to school 45 minutes earlier and middle and high school students an hour and 15 minutes later starting in fall 2014, Superintendent Wilkes says the later start time for older students is an effort to increase student success. Decatur City Huntsville City High school starts moved from 8 to 8:30 am in August 2017, not only relieving traffic but giving teens a better shot at sleep. Students can still be dropped off as ealry as 7:30 if the later start time poses a problem for families.. Alaska
Juneau School District Changed its school start times beginning in the 2009-10 school year — essentially swapping high school and elementary school schedules. High school classes now start at 9:15 a.m. and elementary school classes at 8 a.m. Middle schools start at 8:30 a.m. Kenai Peninsula Borough Schools Both start and end times changed for ten southern Kenai Peninsula schools in 2017-18 when the district moved from a one- to a two-tier bus system to save transportation costs and put older students on the later tier based on new sleep research. All middle and high schools in this part of the district now start at 9 a.m. Before, the schools started at 8:30 am., with a few exceptions. Arizona
Mingus Union High School (Cottonwood) Moved its start time to 8:40 am beginning during the 2011-2012 school year Yuma City Later start and end times for Yuma Elementary School District 1 and Yuma Union High School District campuses were approved for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year, with the high school moving bell time from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., saving transportation costs as well. However, we have received subsequent reports that these changes were not made. Arkansas
Bentonville In 2007 delayed high school start times (at expense of middle and elementary school hours) to address sleep health and growing traffic issues, at a cost savings. High schools moved from 7:45–2:45 to 8:45-3:45; middle schools from 8:00–3:00 to 7:40–2:40; elementary schools from 8:00-3:00 to: 7:30–2:30. Piedmont A virtual first period for high schoolers in the Piedmont City School District in Alabama is using technology to help students get much needed extra sleep – and become more independent learners – without altering the daily school schedule. (8/16/16) Pulaski County Special School District In 2012, the district advanced some elementary school start times while delaying middle and high schools to save the district money in transportation expenses and improve academic performance in older students. California
Albany Unified Moved high school bell time to 8:10 a.m. in 2013 based on sleep research. Atascadero Unified Campbell Hall On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, grades 7-12 of the K-12 school start at 8:50 a.m. On Wednesdays, grades 7-12 start at 9:30 a.m. Classes and lunchtime were slightly shortened. Students now get out at 3:40 p.m. instead of 3:15 p.m. Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) Will have a later start to the school day beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. That is the result of the work of the District’s Community Council on Student Wellness. Five schools in FUHSD will start school at 8 a.m. That will delay the current start time by 25 minutes for Monta Vista High, Lynbrook High, Cupertino High and Fremont High, and by 10 minutes for Homestead High. Half Moon Bay High School Beginning in the 2017-18 school year, the school did away with zero period altogether and implemented two start time options for students: one beginning usually at 8 a.m., and the other beginning around 9 or 9:40 a.m. on most days. Classes won’t end any later than 3:30 p.m., though, to accommodate student-athletes with practice or games after school, and students with jobs. And with this goal accomplished, the community is continuing to collaborate to address other issues of student wellness. Kerman Unified Kerman Unified is one of several districts in California's Central Valley that had already made the switch to later start times before the law requiring changes took effect. Although it was a bonus to be in line with the law so early, the change was born in many districts due to the coronavirus pandemic, reported The Fresno Bee.“The problem we had last year with COVID is, obviously, I couldn’t transport all those kids at one time because of social distancing,” said Kerman Unified Superintendent Robert Frausto.The solution was to start elementary schools at 7:40 a.m. and secondary schools at 8:40 a.m. Bus drivers pick up younger kids first, then go back around for the older students, he said. Although he didn’t have to do it that way again this year, he said, “It didn’t make any sense to go back to the old start times for one year and then switch again next year. I thought, ‘I’m just gonna leave it alone and bite the bullet.’” Frausto said it has been cost-efficient, and that tardy rate immediately declined. Lompoc Unified School District Manteca Unified School District Menlo-Atherton High School Designed an award winning sleep institute with partner Stanford University in 2006 and started school later in 2009. Mid-Peninsula High School Classes run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Moorpark High School Moorpark High School students will move opening from 7:30 am to 8 am in the 2012-13 school year, only possible after busing funds were cut entirely. Morago Middle School Waving goodbye to a 48-year tradition, the Moraga School District's middle school will shift in Fall 2016 to an 8:30 a.m. starting time. The 40-minute change to the bell schedule will have students dismissed at 3 p.m.; seventh-grade students taking Z period will finish their days at 3:49 p.m. Napa Justin-Siena High School, a Catholic private academy in north Napa first shifted its daily schedule away from the early morning in the 2016-17 school year, moving the first academic period from 8 to 9 a.m. so students could be better rested and ready to learn. Novato Unified First period at Novato and San Marin HS were pushed back to 8 a.m (a 30-45 minute pushback) for 2017-18. Olympic High School, part of Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Starting in Feb 2014, clocks changed to 9:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Teacher contracts did not need to change. Palo Alto Improved times to start in 2011-2012 school year. Paso Robles San Diego As part of a multi-year plan to start middle and high schools later in the interest of student sleep, health & well-being, La Jolla High School, Muirlands Middle School and the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts switched to later start times in the 2019-2020 school year. San Francisco Unified School District San Jose Following state law starting 2022-23 school year (8/9/22). Ukiah Unified School District In the 2016-17 school year, Ukiah High School moved its opening time 45 minutes later to 8:15 a.m. to give students more time to sleep in the morning. Vacaville Board voted 9/22/17 to start elementary schools no more than 15 minutes earlier than the current schedule, middle schools will start at 9 a.m., and the two main high schools, Vacaville and Wood, will start at 8:40 a.m. Buckingham Charter High will start at 8:30 a.m, Country High, the district’s continuation school, will start at 9 a.m. Changes will take effect in the 2018-19 school year. Vallejo City Unified School District For the 2019-20 school year, the district moved the school start time for all middle and high school students to 8:15 a.m. for the 2019-2020 school year. High schools have traditionally started at 7:50 a.m. John Finney High Schoiol runs from 9am-2:05pm. Colorado
Academy School District Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, Academy School District 20 delayed high school classes that began as early as 7:05 a.m., to 7:45 a.m., with the Aspen Valley High School start time remaining at 8:55 a.m. Middle schools were delayed to times between 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Boulder Valley School District The district moved high school start times to 8:30 a.m., with school ending at 4:05 p.m.beginning in the 2019-20 school year. Previously high schools started between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Brighton District middle and high schools began starting at 8:30 a.m. or later starting in the 2018-19 school year. Cherry Creek Start times for high schools pushed back 65 minutes in school year 2017-18. Start times for high schools pushed back 65 minutes, middle schools will start an hour to 50 minutes later, and elementary schools begin 65 minutes earlier. (Elementary schools run 8am-2:45pm; middle schools 8:50 am-3:45pm; high schools 8:201m-3:30pm.) This change was budget-neutral. An article in Sleep Health describes the change process. Coronado Coronado Middle School (CMS) announced that it will have a new start time in 2019-20. Prior to this, classes start at 7:58 am at CMS, with a few late start days on Thursdays scattered throughout the school year. The new start time will be 8:20 am. The lineup of start times for Coronado Unified Schools will be: Coronado High School at 7:58 a.m.; Village Elementary and Silver Strand Elementary at 8:10 a.m.; and Coronado Middle at 8:20 a.m. Cortez-Montezuma Schools An interim superintendent changed the previous 7:30 a.m. start to 8:50 a.m. for Cortez Middle School and the Montezuma-Cortez High School in 2012. The interim superintendent also at the same time changed the district’s four-day school week to a five-day week Denver When Denver’s new Northfield High School opens in August 2015, its students will report to their first class more than an hour later than students at most other district high schools. The school’s planned 8:45 a.m. start time is a nod to the growing body of evidence that suggest teens are hard-wired to favor later bedtimes and do better academically when school schedules accommodate their natural sleep cycles. In addition, back in 2005, Denver schools added 2 hours to HS day for flexibility. Students pick their own start and end times. Moving to later bell times in 2023-4. Here's how they are educating community about the change: https://www.dpsk12.org/healthy-start-times/. Fort Collins (Poudre School District) Under the new schedule beginning in the 2019-20 school year, high school start times will shift to 8:55 to 9 a.m. and middle school start times will shift to 8:05 a.m., bringing the district in closer alignment with national recommendations related to adolescent sleep and school start times. Grand Junction (District 51) Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, elementary schools will start at 8:55 a.m. and high schools will start at 8 a.m. Before then, District 51 high schools started at 7:25 a.m. Greeley-Evans School District Beginning in August 2017, District 6 will move to a later start time for high schools, no earlier than 8 a.m. while middle school shift students to an earlier start time — 8:30 a.m. from 9 a.m. — and dismiss earlier so they aren't walking home in the dark during winter. The youngest students, who tend to be early risers anyway, will start school at 7:50 a.m. Harrison School District Starting in 2014, the Harrison School District near Colorado Springs pushed back start times at all 20 of its schools, after a committee studied the issue for two years. High schools now start at 7:45 a.m. instead of 7:20 a.m, and elementary and middle schools now start at 8:35 a.m. instead of 8:10 a.m. On Mondays only, middle schools start at 10:05 a.m. and high schools start at 9:15 a.m. They say they made these changes before the AAP recommendations were out and will continue to work toward starting high schools later. Littleton School board voted unanimously to change school schedules to allow teens to get more sleep in December 2017. The changes, effective with the 2018-19 schoolyear, are as follows: High schools will start school at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:31 p.m. Middle schools will start school at 8:54 a.m. and end at 3:50 p.m. Most elementary schools will start school at 8 a.m. and end at 2:43 p.m. Mesa County Valley School District 51 Changes made in the 2019-20 school year. Thompson School District Starting in the 2018-19 school year, elementary schools start at 8 a.m. — 30 minutes earlier than before — and end at 3:10 p.m; middle schools (formerly starting at 7:25 a.m.) start at 8:45 a.m. and will end at 4 p.m; high schools, (formerly 7:30 a.m. starts) start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:50 p.m. connecticut
Greenwich High school 8:30; middle 8; elementaries unchanged except 2 start at 9 a.m. starting in 2017-18. New Canaan (St. Luke's School) Starting in the 2018-19 school year, this secular, private school began starting its Upper School classes at 8:30 a.m. M-Th and 9 a.m. on Fridays. New Canaan Public Schools High School 8am-2:30pm Saxe 7-8 8am-2:30pm Saxe 5-6 9:15am-3:45pm K-4 schools: 8:40am-3:10pm (This schedule was implemented in August 2023 after many years of efforts to start middle and high schools later) Green Farms Academy Greens Farms Academy instituted a new schedule in 2018-2019 where class begins at 9:00 a.m. on Thursdays and at 8:00 a.m. on all other school days. It did so because, as the GFA Associate Head of School explained, "[t]he academic literature on the connection between sleep, stress, and emotional and physical health is, and should be, a wake-up call. Researchers studying undergraduates in America’s college and universities (there is excellent work being done by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA and the American College Health Association) report shocking increases in the numbers of students reporting depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and feelings of being overwhelmed. Our secondary schools are in a similar position and are responding by, among other things, increasing the resources we devote to mental health support and education for students and parents both. But, by and large, we are not getting to the root of the problem." Guilford For the 2018-’19 school year, start times as Guilford High School moved back by 15 minutes, to 7:40 a.m., to better accommodate teen sleep patterns. To accommodate bus schedules, the middle end elementary schools started 10 and 5 minutes later, respectively. Newtown Middle and high schools going to 8 a.m., no change to elementaries, budget neutral. Began 2017-18. Rocky Hill The board’s decision to shift school start times forward by at least 10 minutes at each school will go into effect for the 2019-20 school year. Rocky Hill High School will start at 7:30 a.m., Griswold Middle School will start at 8 a.m., Moser School will start at 8:15 a.m. and the town’s two elementary schools will start at 9 a.m. West Hartford In 2007 changed bell times by making the first hour of high school (which continued to start at 7:30 a.m.) a study hall and allowing students to use “flex” time to start 2nd period. District reported positive impacts on emotional health, stress, and academic performance Wilton The district won State Championships the same year later start was implemented. Delaware
Christina School District Starting in school year 2019-20, Bayard Middle School and Bancroft Elementary School, which have students from first to eighth grade, moved start times to 8:30 for all students (High school still starts at 7:-5 a.m.) Milford County Beginning in school year 2012-13, the Milford School District delayed start times at Milford Central Academy and Milford High School by 50 minutes to 8:25 a.m. four days per week, and to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays, while advancing the start time at Milford Middle School by 5 minutes to 7:30 a.m. District of Columbia
Most high schools start at or after 8:30 a.m. Florida
Brevard District of 96,000 students changed in 2000 by moving ES earlier (to 8 a.m. bell time). MS activities changed to before school with own transportation required. District reported large reduction in tardiness and absences. Hillsborough County Beginning in 2018-19, high schools moved to 8:30 a.m. start times and end times of 3:25 p.m, Most elementary schools run from 7:40 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., and middle schools from 9:25 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Kissimmee The first bell at Osceola High School rings at 8:20 a.m., making the Kissimmee school a scheduling maverick for as long as anyone can remember. By then, all other traditional public high schools in Central Florida have been in class for an hour or more. Lake Wales Lake Wales High School will start classes after 8 a.m. starting in August 2014 due to "overwhelming and compelling" research that earlier hours are hurting students. Panama City Superintendent's proposal to start high schools at 8:15 am rather than 7:30 am is approved by the Board of Education for school year 2013-14. St Johns County After moving high school start times to 9:15 a.m. in 2006 to streamline bus runs and save money, administrators found it was better for teenagers. Santa Rosa County The county saved millions when it changed to later school start times in 2006. The district switched to a 3-tier bus system, to increase graduation rates, decreased delinquency, and lower bus costs. High schools moved from 8:00–2:45 schedules to 9:15-3:15 schedules, middle schools from 8:20–2:55 to 8:30–2:30; and elementary schools remained at 7:30–1:30 p.m. schedules. This is a very highly ranked Florida public school system with competitive (football district champion) athletic teams. Volusia County In March 2019, the board voted to change school hours starting in the 2019-20 school year to the following:
22 other Florida districts start school after 8 am, many with transportation savings. Georgia
Cartersville City Approved for 2018-19, the start times for the city’s four schools and pre-K program were divided into two tiers, with Tier 1 schools — pre-K, primary and elementary — starting at 7:30 a.m. and Tier 2 schools — middle and high — beginning at 8:30 a.m. The proposed ending times would be staggered — 2 p.m. for pre-K, 2:20 p.m. for primary, 2:30 p.m. for elementary, 3:30 p.m. for middle and 3:45 p.m. for high. Prior to these changes, pre-K started at 7:45 a.m. and ended at 2:15 p.m.; primary started at 8 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m.; elementary started at 7:55 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m.; middle started at 7:55 a.m. and ended at 3:15 p.m.; and high school started at 7:53 a.m. and ended at 3:22 p.m. Clayton County Moved high schools 20 minutes later to 8:50 am opening as part of a move to lengthen the school day. Decatur This change was prompted by parents objecting to moving start times earlier the year before but also happened to save money for the district. Jefferson County At the middle and high school, class will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting in the 2019-20 school year. Valdosta City Schools Starting in 2017-18, school hours changed for all levels, primarily to give middle and high school students more time to sleep and study. Elementary schools now start earlier in the day, and middle and high school students start later. Hawaii
Honolulu SEEQS: the School for Examining Essential Questions of Sustainability. This charter school starts at 8:30 am to match teen sleep patterns, with the first block always physical activity. Academics don't begin until 9:30 am. Kaimuki High School. For the most part, students reported getting more sleep, improved sleep quality and even slightly better grades since the school switched its start time from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. in August 2015. Three years later, school officials, parents, and students reported that they get more sleep, are happier, less likely to be tardy--and it's even easier to hire bus drivers. Teachers like it, too, because they can hold their meetings before school instead of staying after school (thus their hours are essentially the same, by choice). Idaho
Bonneville Joint Moved high schools later in 2000 (some middle schools still start very early). Meridian School District In January 2012, the Meridian School District pushed back high school start times from 7:58 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. to allow teachers additional “prep time.” Bus schedules remained unchanged. Illinois
Arlington Barrington In school year 2018-19, Barrington High School students shifted the start of classes to 8:30 a.m., 70 minutes later than they did prior to 2017-18 school year, ending the day at 3:21 p.m. Middle school students now start more than an hour later, beginning their day at 9 a.m. and ending it at 3:55 p.m.) District 128 (Libertyville and Vernon Hills). Beginning in school year 2019-19, classes will begin at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m., with some voluntary programs starting as early as 7:50 a.m. Previously, Libertyville High classes ran from 7:30 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. At Vernon Hills High, the school day ran from 7:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The average duration of class periods was also trimmed by three minutes to 45 minutes each. District 181 Middle school students begin the day at 8:25 a.m. and are dismissed at 3:15 p.m., as opposed to former schedule where they started at 7:55 a.m. and were finished at 2:45 p.m. The district's seven elementary schools did not change and continue to hold classes from 8:40 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. Began 2017-18 school year. District 214 Under a two-year pilot program approved unanimously by the board in January 2017, the hight school day will begin at 8:15 a.m. and conclude at 3:10 p.m. at Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, John Hersey, and Prospect high schools starting with the 2017-2018 school year. To make the changes, the district is eliminating late starts on Thursdays, shortening class periods to 48 minutes from 50 minutes, and shortening lunch periods to 45 or 48 minutes from 50 minutes. Prior to the changes, most of the schools began at approximately 7:30 a.m. and dismissed around 2:45 p.m. Other changes as part of the new start and dismissal times: • Varsity practices are limited to two hours and 45 minutes each day. The same team is not permitted to conduct practices both before and after school on the same day. • Co-curricular activities are held after school and for no more than two hours. • Final exams are held before winter break and graduations will be over Memorial Day weekend. Lincolnshire-Prairie View School District 103 Starting in the 2017-18 school year, Sprague (elementary) students began class at 8:15 a.m., 45 minutes earlier than they did previously. Daniel Wright students started 40 minutes later, beginning their school day at 8:30 a.m. Unit 5 (Normal) In the 2016-17 school year, the Normal-based school district’s high schools moved start times to 8:30 a.m. from 7:15 a.m and Junior high schools to 8:45 a.m. from 7:45 a.m. The new start times were tied to a plan to cut transportation costs, due in part to unreliable state funding to cover the cost of busing its students. The plan, which also included more efficient route changes, saves the Unit 5 around $1.1 million annually. After the first year, school officials both teachers and students suggested that the later start times were improving academic performance as well. (9/6/17) McClean County Unit 5 Starting in the 2016-17 school year, elementary schools will start at 7:45 a.m. and go to 2:30 p.m., junior high schools will be 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. and high schools will change to 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. By eliminating buses, changing routes and moving start times, the district expects to save $1.5 million. Stevenson High School This Lincolnshire school is pushing back start time 25 minutes from 8:05 to 8:30 a.m. beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Because of scheduling conflicts with grade schools, Stevenson will have to spend an extra $150,000 for buses each school year. To avoid running into conflicts with extracurricular activities and busing schedules, Stevenson will keep the same ending time, 3:25 p.m., meaning class periods generally will be reduced to 47 minutes from 50 minutes. Woodland District 50 The Woodland District 50 school board approved new start times starting in school year 2019-20 as part of its new five-year strategic plan.. The change pushes the start time for middle school students to 8:30 a.m. while some of the younger students keep earlier start times. Indiana
Avon High School "I think the research is very plain. The older the student, the later you should start school," said Rick Adcock, Avon High School principal. Concord Starting in school year 2019-20 elementary schools moved their 8:45 or so opening to 7:25. Start time will be later for high school students. Instead of school starting at 7:50, the high school day will begin at 8:20 Decatur Township District shifted start times for all school 20 minutes later in 2015-16 to improve safety, health, and school success. By the end of the school year teachers and students alike said they had noticed more productivity in the classroom. Cathedral High School Principal Dave Worland initiates a 30 minute delay in school start times. He states, "It's not about the adults, it's about the kids." Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Community Schools began using a later start time for its high schools in the 2015-16 academic year. Transportation changes prompted the switch from a 7:30 a.m. start to a 9:05 a.m. start. Administrators say the the change hasn't solved tardiness, but it has improved students' readiness to learn at the beginning of the day. The 9:05 a.m. start also provides opportunities for morning professional development, he said. A school employee reported in October 2017: "Northwest Allen County changed in 2015 to 2016 Middle and High Schools starting at 8:40 and 8:45 am. Parents, students and teachers are much happier with this change of time. Bus drivers can pick up Elementary students (start time of 7:45) and drop them off then pick up middle and high schoolers afterwards saving $$ on not purchasing more busses. Students are not exhausted and are performing better academically. A plus is there is less traffic on the streets during this time of morning as well." Hamilton Southeastern Schools Lawrence Township Noblesville In May 2018 announced that In 2019, elementary schoolers will start their day almost an hour earlier, at 7:50 a.m., and middle and high schoolers will begin more than an hour later, at 8:40 a.m. South Bend The district overhauled its schools, including much healthier school hours: starting in August 2018, with elementary schools running from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., middle schools 9 a.m.-4 p.m., high schools 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Valparaiso Community Schools Late start one a day week implemented to improve teacher planning time and exemplified coordination of efforts with before care services Wabash Wabash City High will start @ 8:35 AM in 2014-2015, 50 min later than current 7:45 AM start time for Wabash HS & MS. Westfield Washington Flipped school start times in the fall of 2019 to try to better align with students' natural sleep schedules, a move that administrators believe will improve academic performance. Under the new schedule, secondary students start more than half an hour later than usual – 8:35 a.m. for the high school, 8:45 a.m. for intermediate and middle – while elementary students’ days begin more than an hour earlier, 7:50 a.m. Zionsville In May 2016 the Zionsville School Board voted 4-1 to approve the following school start times beginning in the 2017-2018 school year:
Iowa
Ames In August 2022, new typical days at Ames High School became 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.; at Ames Middle School 8:40 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.; and at elementary schools from 7:40 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. These times were set up both to save money on transportation costs, while being in alignment with research about the benefits of later start times for secondary students. Clinton Community School District Prior to school year 2018-19, start time in middle and high school was at 7:55 a.m., and elementary at 8:40 a.m. Now those start times will be slightly reversed, with middle and high school around 8:30 a.m. and elementary school at 7:45 a.m. Davenport After considerable back and forth, Davenport IA plans to delay high school start times to after 8 am starting in 2014-15. Des Moines In December 2017 the superintendent announced changes for the 2018-19 school year: Elementary schools start at 7:30 a.m., about 45 minutes to 75 minutes earlier than previous start times, while middle and high school students will start around 8:30 a.m., about 45 minutes later. Iowa City In Feb. 2016, the Iowa City Community School Board voted 7-0 to start elementary school at 7:55 a.m. and start junior high and high school at 8:50 a.m. This means elementary school will end at 2:55 p.m. while secondary school will end at 4 p.m. West Des Moines School District Started high schools later by reducing the number of buses needed, saving the district $700,000 annually. Kansas
Emporia Public Schools Delayed start times for Emporia Middle School from 7:50 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. as part of a plan to lengthen the school day and shorten the calendar Lawrence Starting in fall 2020 high school students in Lawrence Kansas can choose a 9:00 a.m. start time (8:00 is the other option). This applies to both high schools: Lawrence High School and Lawrence Free State High School. Kentucky
Fayette County Teen driver crash rates reduced by 16.5% in 2 years after school start time delayed by one hour while the rest of the state saw an increase in teen crash rates. Jessamine County Since implementing later school starts in 2002, "attendance immediately went up, as did scores on standardized tests, which have continued to rise each year." The schools also cut down on "passing time" and saved on bus expenses. Louisiana
Lafayette Parish This district voted to solve the problem by pushing all schools later by 15 minutes. On Aug. 28, 2014 we were told that to date the situation remained unacceptable, with some middle schools starting as early as 6:45 a.m. Maine
Alton (see Old Town/RSU34) Bar Harbor Until 2020-21, classes at Mount Desert Island High School started at 8 a.m., which meant some students had to catch the bus as early as 6:10 and arrive at school around 6:45. But because of factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school start time was pushed back to 9 a.m. And most students can now catch the bus around 8:30. “So, it’s at least two hours more sleep for some of the kids right now,” Principal Matt Haney said. “I have heard nothing but positive feedback on the late start. People are seeing that their teenagers are healthier by not having to wake up so early.” He told the high school board last week that if the school were to revert to the 8 a.m. start time, he thought it would have a significant negative effect on students both academically and socially. Biddeford In April 2016 several continguous school districts and an independent high school academy in southern Maine voted simultaneously to start school later, beginning with the 2016-17 school year. They became Maine's first school districts to implement the American Academy of Pediatrics' and American Medical Association's health policy recommendations not to start middle and high schools before 8:30 a.m. An article in Sleep Health explains the process of building consensus and involving stakeholders in the change process and finding solutions to logistical challenges using a regional approach. Bradley (See Old Town/RSU34) Brunswick County In 2001 moved high schools from 7:25–1:50 schedule to 7:45–2:10; MS from 7:40–2:10 to 8:08–2:30; and ES from 8:40–2:55 tp 9:00–3:30. The superintendent and school board were influenced by neighboring Topsham district and sleep science. Cumberland/North Yarmouth (District 51) Starting in fall 2016, Greely High School will begin the school day at 8 a.m., instead of the current time of 7:30 a.m., releasing at 2:30 p.m., instead of 2:12 p.m. Greely Middle School for grades 6-8 will start classes at 8 a.m., instead of 7:33 a.m., and will be dismissed at 2:33 p.m., instead of 2:15 p.m. Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will begin class at 8:45 a.m., instead of 8:30 a.m. Their dismissal time will be 3:15 p.m., instead of 3 p.m. Five Town Community School District New schedule approved for the 2017-2018 school year saw students at the middle school and high school arriving at school a half hour later, at 8 a.m., rather than 7:30 a.m. The school day officially begins 10 minutes later with homeroom class. Students at the elementary school will begin their day 15 minutes later, at 8:45 a.m. rather than 8:30 a.m. Under this plan the middle and high school academic day will end at 2:45 p.m., and the length of the day remains the same. Although elementary students will start 15 minutes later, their school day will end 30 minutes later. The Five Town CSD represents Camden Hills Regional High School, which is attended by students from Camden, Rockport, Lincolnville, Hope and Appleton. SAD 28 includes CRMS and CRES. Old Orchard Beach (RSU23) At the RSU 23 School Board meeting June 16th, 2016, the Board unanimously voted to change school hours, based on the Start School Later initiative, such that: PreK-5 will have school from 8-2:15 and Grades 6-12 will have school from 8:30-2:45 Old Town (RSU 34) Moved middle and high schools from 8 to 8:30 a.m. starts beginning in school year 2019-20 to give adolescent students a chance for healthier sleep. The change came with other unexpected benefits, particularly involving participating in before- and after-school activities, and more opportunities for extra help. RSU 13 Oceanside High Schools moved a half hour later (8am) in 2013-14 school year, based on scientific research about teen sleep needs. Saco In April 2016 several continguous school districts and an independent high school academy in southern Maine voted simultaneously to start school later, beginning with the 2016-17 school year. They became Maine's first school districts to implement the American Academy of Pediatrics' and American Medical Association's health policy recommendations not to start middle and high schools before 8:30 a.m. An article in Sleep Health explains the process of building consensus and involving stakeholders in the change process and finding solutions to logistical challenges using a regional approach. Scarborough Classes at Scarborough High School previously started at 7:35 a.m., followed by the middle school at 7:45 a.m., grades 3 through 5 at 8:20 a.m., and kindergarten through grade 2 at 8:50 a.m. Under the revised start times approved to begin in the 2018-19 school year, high school and middle school students start at 8 a.m. and elementary school students start at 8:50 a.m. In addition, the high school and middle school open at 7:40 a.m. for early student dropoffs and activities, followed by the elementary schools at 8:30 a.m. South Portland In 2017-18 school year, the following changes were made: High school: Moved from 7:30-1:50 to 8:10-2:25 Middle school: Moved from 7:55 -2:15 to 8:30-2:45 Elementary school: Moved from9-3 to 9:05-3:05 Topsham In 2005 changed schedules to save on transportation costs by having HS and MS students share buses. High schools moved from 7:30–2:00 schedules to 7:50-2:21; middle schools from 7:20–2:00 to 7:40–2:10. Westbrook High School Moved start time 1/2 hour later "several years ago" (as of Aug. 2014), and officials say benefits to students are clear. Maryland
Anne Arundel County All 13 county high schools moved bell times from 7:30 a.m. (and, prior to that, 7:17 a.m.) to 8:30 a.m. beginning in school year 2022-23. This followed over 20 years of effort, including a transition from an appointed to an elected school board, ongoing advocacy efforts, consultations with transportation services about modernizing bus routes, compromises with elementary and middle school families, and widespread efforts to raise community awareness and work with stakeholders to resolve perceived and real logistical challenges associated with change. Indian Creek Upper School (Crownsville) This independent school was started in part to allow students to begin the school day at sleep-friendly hours, i.e., 8:45 am. Massachusetts
Acton/Boxborough In the 2018-19 school year, the starting time for the high school moved to 8:07 a.m., as compared to its previous start time of 7:23 a.m. The junior high starts at 8 a.m., as compared to their previous start time of 7:30 a.m. All elementary schools in the district start at 8:50 a.m. Amherst Arlington: 8:00 a.m. – 2:26 p.m. Ashland After 3-5 years of planning, in school year 2017-18 the high school moved bell times about 50 minutes later, to 8:20 a.m., and the middle school will start about 25 minutes later, to 8:15 a.m. The high school day now ends at 2:45 p.m., the middle school day at 2:40 p.m. Burlington In a change led by the superintendent implemented in the 2018-19 school year, the high school starts at 8:35 a.m. and the middle school kept its start time of 7:35 a.m. Memorial kept its start time of 8:10 a.m. and both Fox Hill and Pine Glen switched from 8:35 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. Francis Wyman started later, moving from 8:10 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. The high school is dismissed at 3:05 p.m. and the middle school at 1:55 p.m. Memorial, Fox Hill and Pine Glen are dismissed at 2:15 p.m. and Francis Wyman at 2:40 p.m. Concord-Carlisle: moves high school to 8:00a.m. for 2017 academic year. Duxbury: Now 8:20 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Eastham Hingham: Now 8 a.m. - 2:32 p.m. Holyoke Shifted start times in 2005, with change led by school board based on sleep science, aiming to improve sleep and tardiness.High school switched from a 7:15–1:52 schedule to 8:15–2:52; middle school from 7:15–1:52 to 8:15–2:52; and elementary school remained at 9:05–3:05 Marblehead: Now 7:55 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Marlborough AMSA Charter School starts its first class starts at 8:15 a.m. (homeroom at 8:05 a.m.). Mashpee In May 2018 the school board, with only 1 dissenting vote, approved making the school day 8:30 AM to 3 PM at the middle/high school and 9:05 AM to 3:35 PM at Quashnet and Coombs., with the change scheduled to take place in school year 2019-20. Medway: Now 8:04 a.m. - 2:31 p.m. Melrose Changes implemented in the 2018-19 school year. Monomoy Northborough-Southborough After efforts by the local Start School Later chapter since 2014, the district found a cost-neutral plan to change its high school start times starting in 2021-22. Some of the results of the study group’s work, Martineau said, indicated that better sleep led to better academic performance, fewer sports injuries, students being less involved in car accidents and reduced rates of depression, anxiety and drug and alcohol use. Before then the high school, Algonquin High School, started classes at 7:20 a.m. and ended at 1:50 p.m. With the change the high school day starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. This shortens the gap between the end of the school day and start of after-school athletic practices. In addition to changes at the high school, Southborough’s Neary school will start at 8:45 a.m. Woodward will start at 8:55 a.m., while the Finn school will start at 9:10 a.m. OnlyTrottier Middle School moved to an earlier start time, from 8:03 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. Needham In 2004 moved high schools from 7:40–2:20 to 8:99-2:35 schedules; middle schools from 7:40–1:55 to 7:50-2:10; and elementary schools from 8:20/9:00–2: 30/3:00 to 8:35–2:35. Superintendent formed advisory committee to study all issues. Change based on concerns about sleep health. Nauset High School After the 2012 implementation of an hour later school start, preliminary analysis revealed: - a 53 percent drop in the number of failing grades - a 38 percent decline of D's and F's - the number of days students were suspended for disciplinary reasons plummeted from 166 in the first two months last year to 19 days in September and October of this year. These findings have been confirmed over time, with an additional benefit of a reduction in tardiness (3/14/16) North Andover Superintendent formed advisory committee to collect research, speak to sleep experts and conduct stakeholder meetings. The resulting change in 2011 was a partal success in that is was not as great a delay as recommended. Nonetheless, reported outcomes included improved grades and attendance and decreased tardiness and disciplinary action. High school switched from 7:15–1:57 to 7:40-2:15; middle school from 7:20–2:05 to 7:55-2:20; and elementary school from 8:15–2:50 to 8:35–3:00. Scituate In May 2019, the district announced new start times for the 2019/2020 school year have the elementary schools starting at 8:55 a.m. and dismissing at 3:25 p.m.; the middle school starting at 8 a.m. and dismissing at 2:31 p.m.; and the high school starting at 8:15 a.m. and dismissing at 2:46 p.m. Previously start times were 8:50 a.m. for the elementary schools; 7:35 a.m. for the middle school; and 8:10 for the high school. Sharon Public Schools Made a 40-minute shift for the start of the 2010-2011 school year. Was 7:25 - 8:00. For last 6+ years has been 8:05 - 2:40. Stoneham Changes implemented in the 2018-19 school year. Watertown Changes implemented in the 2018-19 school year. Wayland On Nov. 19, 2018 a 4-1 vote at the Town Building led to an 8:30 a.m. start for the high school and an 8:35 start for the middle school the following school year. That is one hour later than the previous opening bell at both schools, with the early release day left in place. The high school day now ends at 3:10 p.m.The town’s three elementary schools start at 7:55 a.m., roughly an hour earlier than before. Weston Changes implemented in the 2018-19 school year. Winchester The new elementary school start time will be 8:10 a.m., with a 2:20 p.m. dismissal. Middle school and high school will start and 8:30 a.m. and finish at 3:07 p.m. Pre-kindergarten, offered at Vinson Owen and Lynch elementary schools, will begin at 8:25 a.m., with varied end times. Michigan
Berkley School District Starting in the 2018 school year, the district moved its bell times later to better allow for healthy sleep .High school administrators and staff studied the impact of a later start on teenagers for well over a year before recommending the start time adjustment. Last year, Randy Gawel, BHS principal at the time, held a town hall meeting with parents about the reasons behind the exploration of a later start time. Here are the new times:
Flushing Moved bell time from 7:40-8 a.m. in 2015 to give students a somewhat better chance for healthy sleep. South Lake Schools South Lake Schools in St. Clair Shores pushed back first hour in 2017, in an effort to get teens better sleep and academic success. Williamston Schools delay start times by 20 minutes for 2014-15 so that students of all ages start class after 8 a.m. Sturgis Both middle and high school went from a 7:30 a.m. to an 8:15 a.m. start time. Administrators reported a drastic drop in tardies for the first hour and greatly improved grades. "At Sturgis Public Schools we went from a double to single bus run allowing us to go from a 7:30 AM start time to 8:15 AM at both our high school and middle school buildings. We have seen a drastic drop in tardies for first hour and grades have improved greatly as well. Some of that could be due to new positive school climate initiatives, but we believe that starting later has really been a key piece in the dramatic progress we've seen." - Thomas Langdon, Superintendent, Sturgic Public Schools Ypsilanti High school bell was delayed from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. in the 20-16-17 school year so teenagers could get more sleep. Minnesota
Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Public Schools Middle and high schools were both changed to 8:50 a.m. opening hours beginning in the 2016-17 school year after 3 years of considering how school hours might better accommodate the sleep needs and patterns of adolescents. Edina Landmark study notes positive effects of later school starts "...initially Edina parents were concerned about the effect of later starts on such logistical issues as busing, athletics, and child care for younger students. But at the end of the first year of implementation, 92 percent of respondents on a survey for Edina high school parents indicated that they preferred the later start times." - CHED, University of Minnesota In the 2018-19 school year, Edina's South View and Valley View middle schools also delayed start times to 9:20 a.m. Five Edina elementary schools moved to an earlier start of 7:50 a.m. Edina High School, Normandale elementary and Our Lady of Grace remained at their current start times. Mahtomedi School District High schools found a way to start 35 minutes later by shortening passing periods - a no-cost solution. An added bonus: no impact on after-school activities, better attendance, and fewer students sleeping in class. Minneapolis Public Schools "...the later start time still appears to have made a significant difference in keeping students in the same school." Study also notes an increase in attendance and a decrease in symptoms of depression. Moorhead In 2012 the Moorhead Area Public Schools school board voted unanimously to delay the start time for middle school students by 80 minutes to 9:05 a.m. based on adolescent sleep research. High schools still start at 8:25 a.m. Mounds View Beginning in 2018-19 high school start times moved from 7:25 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. based on sleep science. Richfield Moving both middle and high school start times after 8:30 a.m. starting in school year 2017-18 to conform with sleep and health recommendations. Rochester The school district made changes to school start times in fall 2021 in an effort to better accommodate the sleep needs of older students. The opening bell at the elementary schools was moved to around 9:30 a.m. and the end of the school day was pushed out to around 4 p.m. At the middle and high school levels, classes begin at 8:20 a.m. and the closing bell is at 3 p.m. Superintendent Kent Pekel stated the district has been analyzing the impact of those changes and has found they have been very positive for middle and high school students in terms of alertness and student engagement. On the other hand, Pekel says the change at the elementary school level has had "a really challenging effect for our youngest learners' ability to be highly engaged in class academically." He explained that the younger children tend to get up earlier, and by starting school later they miss out on some prime learning time. South Washington County Schools Moved the start of the school day from 7:35 am to 8:35 am in 2009 to align school start times with teenage body rhythms. Here's what happened. St. Paul Hoping to test a potential district-wide later start time for high schools, Johnson High School will be the guinea pig school, with classes slotted to start at 8:30 a.m. starting in school year 2015-2016, as opposed to this school year’s 7:30. The other high schools in the district will stick with a 7:30 start time. Wayzata On December 14, 2015, the Wayzata School Board voted unanimously to change its school start times for the 2016-2017 academic year and beyond. Wayzata High School’s start was moved back to 8:20 a.m., the three middle schools’ times to 9:10 a.m. and the elementary schools’ start times were moved to either 7:45 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. Start time changes were carefully considered over a period of years and were influenced by constituencies and factors that included student, family and staff input, bus schedules, after school activities and, most importantly, age-appropriate, science-based guidance emanating from pediatric medicine. n its report dated May 7, 2021, and entitled “School Start Time Research,” the Association of Metropolitan School Districts describes positive outcomes related to changes in school start times. In addressing the question, “What are the academic and recommended sleep impacts of changing start times?” Michael Rodriguez of the University of Minnesota’s Educational Psychology Program and Youth Development Group, along with Bloomington Public Schools’ Julio Caesar, David Heistad and Rik Lamm, found that improvements in both sleep and academic performance are associated with the kinds of changes in school start times adopted by Wayzata Schools. Woodbury Pushed back high school start times to 8:35 a.m. based on sleep science. Mississippi
Hattiesburg Public School District This 2013 change, which benefited high school students at the expense of middle school students, was based on sleep science: HS: 7:20–2:45 MS: 8:30–3:50 ES: n/a schedules moved to HS: 8:30–3:50 MS: 7:30–2:45; ES: 8:00–3:00. Oxford School District As part of a nationwide trend, the Oxford,School District transitioned to 8:20 a.m. high school bell times to increase student achievement. Then in school year 2019-20 they dealyed middle and high school to 8:30 a.m. starts. Vicksburg Warren School District Missouri
Affton The Affton School District Board of Education unanimously approved new school start times, including moving high schools from 7-7:30am starts, effective for the 2019-2020 school year at the regular February 5th board meeting. Find additional information about the 2019-2020 start times on their website and in this article evaluating the change. Bierbam Elementary Later school start implemented to SAVE transportation costs Columbia Public Schools Using Start School Later materials, students led a campaign to get their school board to reverse a proposal to start high schools earlier - and then turned it into a plan to start them later (9 am for 2013-14 school year)! Eldon Moved to the following hours in the 2018-19 school year, with provisions for earlier drop-offs if needed by families: Elementary Schools: 8:30 am – 3:25 pm – Moved from 8:00 am -3:10 pm Middle School: 8:20 am – 3:07 pm – Moved from 7:50 am -2:45 pm High School: 8:30 am – 3:15 pm – Moved from 7:55 am- 2:55 pm Hickman Mills School District (Kansas City, MO) Moved the start time to 8:30 for middle and high schoolers starting in the 2014-15 school year primarily because "the research says it's what's best for students." |
Montana
Nevada
Las Vegas Mojave High School pushed 2012-2013 start times back to 9 a.m. from 7:30 a.m. based pm “scientific research." Other district high schools start as early as 6:50 a.m. New Hampshire
Inter-Lakes School District Starting in academic year 2017-18, schools in the Inter-Lakes School District began operating on a later schedule, reflecting recommendations from several studies on adolescent sleep. Classes at Inter-Lakes Elementary School, I-L Middle Tier, and I-L High School run from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. under the new schedule. Sandwich Central School operates from 7:55 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. The previous schedule had the elementary school operating from 8:25 a.m. to 3 p.m., the middle tier from 8:20 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the high school from 7:20 a.m. to 2:08 p.m. Sandwich Central School ran from 8:05 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. Oyster River Cooperative School District The school board for the towns of Durham, Madbury, and Lee voted to delay classes by about 40 minutes for middle and high schoolers, with a goal of giving students more time to sleep. As approved, the middle and high school day would run from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. beginning in the fall of 2017 without a change to elementary school schedules.(11/3/16) Portsmouth In August 2017 this district voted to push back middle and high school start times an hour to 8:20 a.m. “in response to growing research on adolescent sleep cycles and the importance of a later school start time,” according to answers to a list of frequently asked questions that the school district put together about the change. Middle and high schools dismiss at 3:20 p.m. New Jersey
Source: Chatham School District, August 2022
Burlington City
High school (grades 7-12) delayed to 8:00am Burlington City has no middle school, but Intermediate (grades 3-6) starts at 8:05am Chatham Chatham Superintendent Michael LaSusa spearheaded the effort for a later start time for adolescents to match their changing sleep patterns as they grow older. LaSusa's plan received the backing of Dr. Bert Mandelbaum , who had been studying the health effects of sleep on adolescents since 2014 and who chaired the committee studying the issue for the NJ chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Beginning in August 2022, the start of the school day for Chatham High students became 8:20 a.m., 45 minutes later than the prior opening bell of 7:35 a.m. Bell times for other students in the district are listed in the table below: 
New start times in Chatham, NJ beginning in August 2022.
Colts Neck Freehold High School Marlboro High School Millburn High School Morris Hills High School Orange High School Pingry High School Princeton Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, the high school day (which previously started at 7:50 a.m. and ended at 2:50 p.m.) was pushed back to 8:20 a.m. School ends at 3:20 p.m. The middle school and elementary schools were not affected by the changes. Ridgewood High School Trial to start one hour later will be profiled by Race to Nowhere. Ridgewood high school start time is 7:45 a.m. Both Ridgewood District middle schools start at 8:00 a.m. In 2023-24 made the official move to an 8:20 a.m. high school start time, citing recommendations dating back to AAP's 2014 position statement that later start times are best for adolescent students. South Orange/Maplewood In early 2016, Start School Later South Orange-Maplewood sent to the South Orange & Maplewood School District school leaders urging a delay in the 7:30 a.m. Columbia High School start time. citing sleep science, benefits to students, and the AAP Policy Statement. As of Nov. 2020, the district website reported that high school was starting at 7:55 a.m. Tenafly High school shifted 15 minutes later in 2017 (used to be 7:55). Tenafly High School. starts at 8:10 a.m. for 4 days and 8:30 a.m. on 1 day in their cycle. Tenafly Middle School starts at 8:25 a.m. New Mexico
Las Cruces Public Schools Classes in middle and high school students moved start times later, to 9 a.m., starting in fall 2011, as part of a plan to manage a smaller budget.Dismissal times are five minutes earlier. Santa Fe Public Schools All middle and high schools start after 8:30 a.m. Most elementary schools start around 8 a.m., or just shortly earlier. New York
Alden Central School District After several years of work, the district finally switched start times, moving middle and high schools from 7:50 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. starts, beginning in school year 2022-23. The elementary schools were simultaneously moved to earlier starts, with administrators claiming they were tired out getting out of school later in the afternoon in prior years. Those in kindergarten through fifth grade now start at 7:40 a.m., an hour earlier than last year. Students in grades 6 through 12 start at 8:55 a.m. instead of 7:50 a.m., and their day will end around 3:30 p.m. (9/1/22) Corinth Elementary and Middle Schools to move teacher planning to morning and students will start an hour later Coxsackie Coxsackie School District is finalizing plans to begin 15 minutes later at all buildings starting in Feb 2015 citing medical evidence on sleep patterns supporting start times after 8:30 am. and saying it will give them extra time with teachers and more time for crews to plow snowy roads in the winter. (12/5/14) Dobbs Ferry Start in the 2015-16 school year, high and middle schools will change from a 7:38 a.m. start to 8:12 a.m. to give teens more sleep. In September 2017, Superintendent Lisa Brady said that the change was well-received by students. "They absolutely are here on time more often," she said. "When we were at 7:35, first period was definitely a challenge." She added that students seem less stressed and more alert in the morning. (9/6/17) Elmira Elmira High School will start the school day at 8:50 am beginning in the fall of 2014 because it's better for teens! And no student in the district will start class before 7:55 am. Glens Falls High School Preliminary data from 1st year of implementation in 2012-13 showed reduction in tardies & improved sleep. Later reports confirm these findings, plus improved graduation rates. Greenburgh Central School District Starting in the 2017-18 school year, pushing back times at Woodlands Middle and High School. Superintendent Tahira DuPree Chase said the district has been following research on teen sleep in recent years, and decided to push back start times from 7:25 a.m. to 8 a.m. at the Woodlands school. Herricks Pushed back its high school start time for 2016-2017, Ithaca Shift from 7:55 am to 8:30 am starts approved in 2007. (Some sources say 8 to 8:55 a.m. shift.) Change primarily made to reduce bus costs. District realized about $400–600K Jericho Since at least 1997, Jericho High School has started at 8:59 a.m. Katonah-Lewisboro School District Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, school days for high school and middle school students were delayed to 8:10 a.m.,, reflecting a 40-minute change for middle school students, who previously started their learning at 7:30 a.m. High schoolers ride the same bus and start school just 5 minutes earlier as a result. Nanuet Union Free School District Nanuet Union Free School District (for sleep health of teens) moved its bell schedules in school year 2018-19 to better match sleep needs of high school students.Changes included:
Rhinebeck In March 2016 the school board voted to move middle and high schools start times half an hour later to 8 a.m. and elementary schools five minutes later to 9 a.m. starting in the fall of 2016. High school classes will be only three minutes apart instead of four minutes, and the last class of the day will end 19 minutes later, at 2:35 p.m. Roslyn Changed to a later time (8:05 a.m. start) in 2011. Sag Harbor Moved from 7:10 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. start times based on adolescent sleep needs, though clearly this was a compromise decision since 7:50 a.m. is still too early. Saratoga Springs Waldorf School went to a 30 minute later high school start time in 2014-15. Webster Central School District In August 2018 the district announced that secondary start time will move to about 8:45 a.m. starting in 2019-'20. North Carolina
Columbus County Three high schools to start an hour later and use their own buses Durham Public Schools As of the school year 2016-17, high school students start school at 9 a.m., instead of 7:30 a.m. as they did before the new bell schedule took effect at the start of the 2016-17 school year. Most middle schools’ days still run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Elementary schools are tiered, with schools running from 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.; 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Moore County This 2012 change to a two-tiered bus system actually saved $700,000 in transportation costs. Our research suggests that this county starts all middle schools at 8 a.m. or later and all high schools at 8:30 a.m. or later with the exception of one alternative school (Community Learning Center at Pinckney) for both middle and high schoolers that starts at 8 a.m. Rowan-Salisbury All high schools and some middle schools will start later, at 8:30 a.m., though middle and other elementary schools will start at 7:30 am beginning in 2015-16. The district’s middle schools will start at 7:30 a.m. and high schools will start at 8:30 a.m. Elementary Schools will be split into two groups, half of which will start with the high schools and half of which will start with the middle schools. Wake County Middle schools were studied to determine the impact of school start times on academic achievement, since schools in the county vary their start times. The study found a discernible improvement in test scores for schools that start later and that "... these calculations suggest that increased spending on bus transportation, in order to delay the beginning of the school day, may be substantially cheaper than reducing class size to gain a comparable improvement in test scores." Duke University Class course scheduling policy requires that NO class start before 8:30 a.m. Ohio
Ashtabula To improve student sleep, health, and learning, the district decided to start no school in the district before 8 a.m. beginning in the 2019-20 school year. In that year junior high started at 8:23 a.m. and high school at 8:30 a.m. Bexley Schools Effective August 2018, all Bexley City Schools have new operating hours. Elementary (K-5) school day run from 8:15 a.m.–3 p.m. while secondary (6-12) school day run from 8:35 a.m.-3:30 p.m Cincinnati In the spring of 2019, this district resolved to start most of its high schools at 8:30 am or later, and none before 8 am, based on health recommendations. Two Cincinnati Public Schools began the process by starting later in fall 219 as the district works to phase-in similar changes across all of its high schools. In that year, Dater High School and Western Hills High School both started 45 minutes later than they had previously, with the school day lasting from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Cleveland (Saint Ignatius) Saint Ignatius adjusted its daily schedule, which principal Anthony Fior says is an important component to the Jesuit school’s mission. The day starts a half-hour later now for students, at 8:30 a.m., reflecting young people’s circadian rhythm, which is different from that of adults. On Wednesdays, students start at 9 a.m., which Fior says allows for more intentional, professional learning. (8/28/21) Dublin City Forest Hills School District New school start times began with the 2018-2019 school year:
Hamilton Beginning in 2015-16, middle and high schools will start later to allow teens more sleep. School hours for the 2015-16 school year are: Hamilton High School: 7:55 a.m. to 2:55 p.m., Hamilton Freshman School: 7:40 a.m. to 2:40 p.m., Garfield and Wilson Middle Schools: 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Hudson Moved start times later for middle and high schools starting in 2010-11 school year. Indian Hill Following advice from public health experts, the district voted in March 2016 to move school start times for teens later starting in the 2016-17 school year. the district's new start times will be: 8:00 am – 2:45 pm for the High School and Middle School; 8:45 am – 3:30 pm for the Primary School; and 8:55 am – 3:40 pm for the Elementary School. Kenston Public Schools "The high school and middle school start @ 7:50 and elementary schools starting @8:45 or 8:55. The greatest adjustment was with our working parents at the elementary levels. High school and middle school parents love it." - Superintendent Dr. Robert Lee via email dated March 12, 2013 Mason City In 2019-2020, Mason Middle School and Mason High School began starting 30 minutes later than their previous 7:15 a.m. start--still far too early but significant move in the right direction. Mason teens begin school at 7:45 a.m. and end school at 2:30 p.m.. Mason students in grades 3-6 attend school from 8:40 a.m. - 3:10 p,m. North Olmsted North Olmsted High School will start 40 minutes later starting in the fall of 2014 The new start time will be 8:00 a.m. Middle School will start at 7:45, which is 22 minutes later than in prior years. Northridge Starting in 2015-16, all schools for all ages will move to later start times, including moving middle and high school starts from 7:30 am to 7:55 am. North Ridgefield North Ridgeville High school start times moved from 7:20 a.m. to 8 a.m. in 2017-18 school year to allow students a chance for more sleep. In the first year after the change, the school reported higher test scores and attendance. Onasburg Buses will come later for Osnaburg Local students starting in 2014-15 as the district shifted start times from 7:25 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. Parma All district schools change hours, with middle schools moving 20 minutes later to 8:20 a.m. in part due to new understanding of sleep needs Three Rivers Three Rivers Elementary, moved its start time from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. in school year 2018-19. Taylor Middle School and Taylor High School start at 8:08 a.m. Westlake High School "While we don't have any data to say how the later start time may or may not have improved the academic performance of our students, I can say the students are definitely enjoying the extra sleep in the morning." - Kim Bonvissuto, Communications Coordinator, Westlake City School District via email dated March 12, 2013. Oklahoma
Bixby Public Schools As of the 2019-20 school year, elementary and intermediate schools all start at 8:00 and end at 3:05; early release on Fridays is at 2:05. Middle, ninth grade, and high school students start at 8:45, end at 3:46, and have an early release on Fridays at 2:50. Stillwater Board of Education approves schedule to start HS one hour later, at 9 am, for the 2013-14 school year. Earliest school start is 8 am. Tulsa Tulsa Public Schools, the state’s second largest district after Oklahoma City, flipped the starting times for elementary and high schools in 2005 to give the older students more sleep time. High schools start at 8:30. Oregon
Bend Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, Bend's elementary schools will run from 8am-2:30pm, middle and high schools from 8:45-3:45. Centennial School District CSD's Governing Board voted unanimously to change school start times for the 2019-2020 school year. Improved attendance, grades, and a little more sleep. Corvallis School District Pushed back high school start times to 8:15 a.m. four days a week and 9:15 a.m. one day to improve academic achievement and allow students more sleep time. (Hampton, New school start time pushes sports practices late into evening (Jul. 25, 2011) Corvallis Gazette-Times.) Lake Oswego School District In 2012 moved high schools to later start times (from 7:35 a.m.) based on adolescent sleep research. In August 2017, schools moved bell times again so that that elementary schools start at 8:30 a.m, middle schools begin at 9 a.m., and high schools at 8:25 a.m. North Clackamas School District Instituted a staggered delayed start time for al K-12 schools, with elementary classes starting at 8 a.m., middle school at 9:15 a.m., and high school classes starting at 8:30 a.m. Oregon Episcopal School (Portland) In school year 2020-21, this private school moved its 8 a.m. bell time (and late start Thursday) for its upper school to a rotating block schedule with "healthy hours" starting at 8:30 a.m. M-W and F and the "late start" of 9 a.m. on Thursdays continued. Schools dismisses at 3:05 p.m. Sherwood School District Beginning in school year 2021-22, the district delayed both middle and high school start times to 8:30 a.m., noting significant increases in bus ridership as an immediate result. Pennsylvania
Burrell Beginning in school year 2018-19, the high school delayed its start to 8:10 a.m., 25 minutes later thanthe previous 7:45 at the superintendent’s request. There was no change to schedules at other schools. Blue Ridge School District Starting in fall 2013 middle and high school start times were delayed by 30 minutes to 8:15 a.m. to address adolescent sleep and improve academic performance. Ephrata In February 2020, the Ephrata Area School District Board of School Directors approved the proposal to adjust school start times, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year. This decision followed an in-depth, year-long study into the mounting scientific evidence linking sleep deprivation to the growing emotional, physical, and mental health issues among adolescent students. The district believes these changes "will contribute to a school experience that sets every student up for success each and every day." Erie Beginning in the 2018-19 school year, the high school delayed its hours from 8:40-3:40, with elementary running from 8-2:30 and middle from 8-2:45. Lake-Lehman Junior/Senior High School To address student sleep deprivation, district leaders changed start times in the 2018-19 school year, bumping the junior-senior high start time from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.The elementary schools start at 8:55 a.m., nearly an hour later than in past years. Lititz (Linden Hall School) Linden Hall School, a private all-girls' school, changed its start time from 8 to 8:30 a.m. in 2016, borrowing the idea from another private school in Charlottesville, VA where head of school worked previously. Mechanicsburg High school was delayed to 8:20 a.m. starts and 3:20 p.m. dismissals instead of the 7:55 a.m. - 2:57 p.m. schedules prior to the 2018-19 school year. Middle school -- 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., instead of 8:20 a.m. start and dismissal at 3:20 p.m. Elementary grades -- 7:40 a.m.-2:35 p.m., instead of 7:45 a.m. start and dismissal at 2:25 p.m. Kindergarten -- 7:50 a.m.-2:20 p.m., instead of 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Phoenixville Beginning with the 2019-20 school year, the high school and middle school were delayed to begin at around 8:05 a.m., and end at around 3:15 p.m. The elementary start was decided to be no later than 9:05 a.m. and end no later than 3:55 p.m. A spokesperson for the school district at the time said that none of these times were yet set in stone, and that the district is working to make the elementary school times, in particular, a bit earlier. As of August 2019, elementaries started at 8:40am Quaker Valley School District According to the district's Director of Communications, "in 2017-2018, we moved the start time back for students in grades 6-12. This was after a survey we conducted, asking parents about the later start time. There was great support in the community for a later start time. School now begins at 8 a.m. instead of 7:45 a.m. This is now our second year with the 8 a.m. start time." Pines-Richland Changes approved for 2019-20 school year": The start times are 7:45 a.m. for the high school and middle schools, 8:35 a.m. for Eden Hall Upper Elementary and 9:20 a.m. for the primary schools--which, believe it or not, reflect a 25-minute later start time for the high school and middle school. Pittsburgh: Milliones This combined middle/high school (grades 6-12) changed the hours for its high school students from 7:42 a.m. to 8:38 a.m. starting in 2016-17. in part because of concern about chronic absences and tardiness, as well as teen sleep needs. The middle school continued to start at 8 a.m. Overall, the school’s attendance rate improved from 81 percent in 2015-16 to 84 percent last school year in the first year after the change. The school cut its chronic absence rate by 10 percent from last year “in large part due” to the later start time, the school said in its school improvement plan. Radnor High schools moved from 7:35 am to 8:30 am starts in the 2019-20 school year, with dismissal 45 minutes later than currently, making Radnor the first district in SE PA to follow AAP recommendations. Seneca Valley Beginning in school year 2018-19 secondary students in grades 7th-12th will start school 35 minutes later than in prior years, at 8:09 a.m., and get out 11 minutes later at the end of the day at 2:41 p.m. Elementary students in kindergarten through 6th grade will start and end school 15 minutes later, beginning at 8:55 a.m. and ending at 3:25 p.m. The district started looking at pushing back start times earlier this year in an effort to fight sleep deprivation in teens. Changes can be attributed to a strategic leadership plan by the superintendent. The Solebury School The Solebury School, a private school, changed their school start time to 8:30 am starting in the fall of 2016 -- because of the research! By spring 2017, the school reported that almost 75% of students said they were able to sleep later and/or eat breakfast more often than last year. Over half said that they feel less stress. “We instituted the new schedule because we felt it was the right thing to do for the mental and physical health of our students," said Director of Studies Rick Tony. “Now we are seeing the results.” South Middleton Students at Yellow Breeches Middle School and Boiling Springs High School now start classes at 7:45 a.m. (as of fall 2019), still far too early but 30 minutes later than the prior 7:15 a.m. State College Starting with the 2018-19 school year, the elementary start time moved from 8:44 to 8:10 a.m., with the school day ending now start at 8:40 a.m. instead of 8:10 a.m., and end at 3:42 p.m. and 3:40 p.m., instead of 3:12 p.m. and 3:16 p.m., respectively. Tredyffrin/Easttown The Tredyffrin/Easttown school board voted 7-2 in April 2019 after months of studying the issue, to push back the school day for all students starting in fall 2019. The new times will be 7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. for high schoolers (currently, 7:20 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.); 8:27 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. for middle schoolers (now, 7:50 a.m. to 2.23); and 9:10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. for grade schoolers (8:45 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.) (4/24/19) Unionville-Chadds Ford Moved both Patton Middle School and Unionville High School from a 7:35 a.m. start to 8 a.m. start. They hope to push both to 8:30 a.m. starts as soon as they can. Upper Darby Upper Darby High School implemented later start times in school year 2021-22 with in-person education which began at 9:45 a.m. Officials began to study a later start in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic upended the educational year in 2020. They cited studies showing that teenagers do better when school starts later. Funding from the federal CARES act allowed the district the acquire laptops and technology to bring the plan into reality and the school board approved the plans in May 2021. Students have the option of beginning the day normally with asynchronous learning at home, then there is a 51-minute period to get to the school campus either by bus or by foot. S Officials held over 50 committee meetings with 80 representatives including teachers, students and parents as they worked on the plan. The student advisory committee recommended block schedules and said they wanted more asynchronous time and flexibility. Officials said students and parents also preferred block scheduling as it gave them fewer classes to focus on at one time and more resembled a college format. The school aims to encourage more students to take AP classes. The high school will continue to use block scheduling which allows for up to 32 credits. West Branch Area School District In school year 2019-20, high school changed from starting the day at 7:25 a.m. and end at 2:16 p.m. In 2019-20, those at the high school and the newly implemented middle school of grades 5-8 will start at 8 a.m. and finish at 2:40 p.m. ” Elementary schools moved from an 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. day tp a 9 a.m. start to 3:25 p.m. day. High school employees/teachers, now end the day at 3:05 p.m. instead of 2:45 p.m. In the elementary, they end at 3:45 p.m. instead of 3:30 p.m. (4/18/19) Woodland Hills Classes at the high school, which serves grades seven through 12, now start at 7:20 a.m. rather than 7 am (bus pickupsbegin at 6:30 rather than 6:05). The Academy and Intermediate School start at 8:25 a.m., while Wilkins and Edgewood Elementary Schools start at 9:15 a.m.(partial success) Rhode Island
Barrington After at least 8 years of effort, the district in the 2019-20 school year moved middle and high school bell times to after 8:30 a.m.., with elementary schools starting earlier. Ckasses at Nyatt, Primrose Hill and Sowams elementary schools begin at 7:50 a.m. with dismissal at 2:20 p.m. The first bell rings at Hampden Meadows at 8 a.m. and classes let out at 2:30 p.m.The tentative start time for Barrington High School is 8:35 a.m. with dismissal at 3:05 p.m. Middle school students will begin at 8:40 a.m. and will be dismissed at 3:10 p.m. Cumberland The new Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academies High Schoo, which opened in 2017, continued to open at the later start time of 8:30 a.m., reflecting emerging research about teens and sleep time. East Greenwich In the 2016-17 school year, East Greenwich became the first public school district in Rhode Island to move both its middle and high school start times a half-hour closer to what is medically recommended. Newport In the 2016-17 school yearl Rogers High School changed its starting time this year from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. for a 2:45 p.m. dismissal, although this was only a success for the high school students. Thompson Middle School moved in the wrong direction, from an 8:15 a.m. to a 7:45 a.m. start time and 2:15 p.m. dismissal time. In May 2018 the school board voted to reverse the changes, based on teacher dissatisfaction. North Smithfield In the 2019-20 school year, school officials decided to bump back start times based on research that shows the importance of sleep for middle and high school students, as well as safety concerns for students who take the bus. Earlier start times meant that in the winter students were standing outside in the dark.the new start time for North Smithfield Elementary School is 8:40 a.m., 10 minutes later than the previous time, while middle and high school students begin at 7:45 a.m., 22 minutes later than the previous start time. St. George's School, Middletown After implementing a trial to delay school by 30 minutes, the following results were reported: "The portion of students reporting at least eight hours of sleep on school nights jumped from about 16 percent to almost 55 percent; reports of daytime sleepiness dropped substantially, from 49 percent to 20 percent; first period tardiness dropped by almost half and students reported having more time to eat a hot, more nutritious breakfast." "The results were so impressive that the school made the change permanent." South Carolina
Beaufort County Following the successful move to later high school start times in Hilton Head, most Beaufort County middle and high schools move from an 8 a.m. to a 9 a.m. start beginning in the 2016-17 school year.This story isn't over, however. In Sept. 2019 the district claimed that since district-wide implementation, math and English scores both decreased by more than 20 percentage points and SC READY scores have decreased slightly in English and held steady in math over the same period--whether that was for K-12 or just one age group is unclear. Graduation rates across the district have increased slightly. The bulk of the concerns, however, seemed to come from parents of elementary schoolers concerned about safety. (9/16/19) Dorchester County Moving high schools from 7:25 am to 8:55 am starts beginning in 2015-16 school year w/minor changes to elementary & middle schools and at no cost (12/8/14) Hilton Head High School Principal Amanda O'Nan has decided to move the school's start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:35 a.m. for 2014-15, saying, "If it is good for kids, then why are we not doing this?" Oconee County The district began staggering start times for different grade levels in school year 2017-18. Elementary schools will still begin at 8 a.m. and dismiss at 2:45 p.m., but middle schools will now start at 8:30 a.m. and dismiss at 3:30 p.m. and high schools will start at 8:45 a.m. and dismiss at 3:45 p.m. Tennessee
Note: Information from October 2019. **=school divisions that start both middle and high school after 8:30 a.m., meeting the AAP recommendation. *=school divisions meeting CA criteria (middle school 8 a.m. or later, high school 8:30 a.m. or later, but not meeting full AAP recommendation. +=Elementary schools also start at 8 a.m. or later. Chattanooga ** With an eye toward helping boys get more rest to improve school performance, The McCallie School, a boys' preparatory school for grades 6-12, instituted a new weekly schedule for the 2017-18 school year, moving the start of academic classes to 8:55 a.m. every school day. Previously, classes began at 8:30 on four days a week and 8:55 on Wednesday mornings. As of 10/19 these hours were still being observed. Cleveland Cleveland City Schools moved start times 20 to 30 minutes later for 2012-13. Elementary now runs 8:30 am – 3:30 pm, and secondary schools run 7:50 a.m. – 2:50 p.m. Cleveland Board of Education members were concerned about older students waking up in the very early hours when national studies show that dulls academic performance. They also were concerned about the safety of children standing in the dark waiting for school buses. (Update: In March 2023, the district voted to change start times to addess bus driver shortages, planning to start secondary schools at 7:30 am beginning in fall 2023, despite awareness of the inadvisability for older students.) Collierville In August 2019, Collierville Schools moved middle school start times 15 minutes later to 8:15 a.m., high school 30 minutes later to 7:30 a.m., with elementary school remaining at 9 am. Additionally, high school buses will pick up no earlier than 6:45 a.m. (previously 6 a.m.). Changes were made with the aim of allowing teens to get more sleep and to prevent very early bus pickups. Germantown In the 2016-17 school year, in an effort to enable adolescents to get more sleep, the Germantown Municipal School District high school start time changed to 7:45 a.m. and the middle school changed to 8:00 a.m. Previously both schools started at 7:00 a.m. One elementary school changed from 9 am to 8:45 am and two start at 8:30 am instead of 8 a.m. Knox County ** Knox County Schools have been operating for many years with elementary schools running from 7:45 a.m. – 2:45p.m. and secondary schools from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.” Rutherford County * Rutherford County Schools operates high schools from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., middle schools from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., and elementary schools from 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Note – there are a few exceptions for magnet and alternative schools, but these are the hours for the vast majority. We believe, but have not been able to verify, that these have been the times for a number of years and not as a result of teen sleep research. Williamson County * All school start times in Williamson County Schools were moved 15 to 20 minutes later starting in the 2017-18 school year. The change advanced high school and middle school start times to 7:40 a.m. and 7:50 a.m., and elementary to 8:50 a.m. The new times were driven by research on biological changes in teen sleep patterns and the benefits of starting school later for adolescents. Wilson County All Wilson County Schools moved later by either 15-30 minutes in 2019-20 to prevent too-early bus pickups. Four of the district’s seven secondary schools now start at 8:30 a.m. or later. Texas
Carrollton-Farmers Branch High schools that started at 7:30 a.m. were moved to 8:20 a.m. start times based on sleep science. Emery/Weiner School, Houston. A great example of the "will to change" putting fears & objections to rest. More info. Frisco ISD Houston ISD standardized bell schedules beginning Fall 2018. The district began operating with the following standardized start/dismissal times: 7:30 a.m.-2:50 p.m. for elementary schools and early childhood centers 8:30 a.m.-3:50 p.m. for PK-8, K-8, and middle schools 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. for high schools and 6-12 campuses The district says it made these changes improve our delivery of reliable and affordable transportation but did not mention sleep, health, or safety! Keller ISD Little Elm ISD High school moving bell time later to 9 a.m. starting in 2014-15 based on the school system moving from a straight, two-tiered bussing system to a multi-tiered system and the addition of a campus. Lubbock ISD Marshall ISD Changed Junior High and High School start times from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in 2019/2020. Mount Pleasant ISD Beginning in 2015-16 no child of any age will be required to start class before 8 a.m. San Angelo ISD A new schedule (which began in school year 2019-20) has schools starting at 8:20 a.m., a 30 minute change from the earlier 7:50 a.m. The new ending time went from 3:30 p.m. to 3:59 p.m., according to a Central High School letter. Several reasons were listed for this change, including:
Seguin ISD To reduce tardies and lateness, as well as consider sleep needs of teenagers, the district began staggering bell times in the 2016-17 school year. Middle school campuses have their school day between 8:10 a.m. and 3:40 p.m., while the high school starts at 8:25 and finish at 3:58 p.m. Texas City ISD According to the school system's website, "The start and ending times for school will be changing for the 2017-2018 school year. A chart with a list of those times can be found here. The reason for the change is research based, and it was made considering what is best for children." Utah
Innovations High School (Salt Lake City) This Early College High School in the Salt Lake City School District offers flexible scheduling for students. Most students reported arrive at about 8:45 a.m. Salt Lake City Beginning in 2021-22, all Salt Lake City high schools started their school year with a later start time at 8:45 a.m., based on positive experiences with later start times during the COVID-19 pandemic and a longstanding interest in improving student mental health. Vermont
Brattleboro Union High School Burlington High School The decision to change the bell schedule from 8:05 a.m. to 9 a.m. starts was made by Using a combination of research and community input,a task force composed of students, family members, and BHS faculty members. made the decision to push back school’s start time from 8:05 to 9am starting in 2021-22. South Burlington School District Middle and high schools start at 8:40 a.m., elementary schools at 8:05 a.m. Virginia
Arlington Groups tasked with planning for later start times were instructed that options were to be largely cost neutral and could not include additional buses and drivers. To read how they did it, click here. Bedford County In 2013, this district added a tier to bus system, so that students shared buses, saving on bus costs. They also added online early classes and early dismissal for athletes. High schools moved from 8:30–3:00 bell times to 8:55-3:35; middle schools from 8:30–3:00 to 8:55-3:35; and elementary schools from 8:30–3:00 to 7:55–2:35. Chesapeake City Chesapeake high schools begin at 8:40 or 8:45 a.m., roughly the same time frame as most middle schools. Most of its elementaries begin before 8 a.m. They chose these hours decades before the issue of later start times became medically recommended. Chesterfield County Charlottesville Board approved to move middle school start times from 7:40 am to 8:30 pm starting in fall 2014 to help young teens get enough sleep Chesterfield County Here is what the new schedule will be starting in 2018-19: - 7:35 a.m.-2:05 p.m.: Middle schools (with the exception of Tomahawk Creek because of extremely long bus rides) - 7:45 a.m.-2:15 p.m.: Bensley, Bon Air, Crenshaw, Clover Hill, Jacobs Road and Wells elementary schools - 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.: All high schools, Tomahawk Creek Middle, and Alberta Smith, Chalkley, Grange Hall, Matoaca and Salem Church elementary schools - 9:25 a.m.-3:55 p.m.: All remaining elementary schools Falls Church City Fairfax County Board approved moving all high school starts to between 8 and 8:10 am beginning in fall of 2015-16. While middle schools remain suboptimal, the Superintendent will continue to work on moving them closer to 8 a.m. in the future. Henrico County Manassas City Good news for high schoolers, who will start their day at 8:10 am starting in the fall of 2014, although it's unfortunate that under the new schedule Metz Middle School students will start their day first, at 7:20 a.m. and Mayfield Intermediate School will start at 7:35 a.m. Montgomery County Elementary and secondary schools will switch start times beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, with high school and middle school start times 8:50 and elementary schools 8 a.m. Busing for elementary school students will begin at 7 a.m. and for higher grades at 7:40 a.m. Richmond Starting in fall 2015, all comprehensive schools (elementary, middle, and high school) will run between 8 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. (3/2/15) Note: In Virginia, 72 out of the state's 95 counties start school at or after 8:00 a.m. Washington
Anacortes The district changed Fidalgo Elementary School’s start time from 8:15 a.m. to 9 a.m., the middle school’s start time from 7:30 to 8 a.m., and the start times at Anacortes and Cap Sante high schools from 7:30 to 8:05 a.m. beginning in school year 2019-20. Bellingham In August 2017 the district moved its high school start time from 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. based on teen sleep needs. In October 2017, the superintendent published a preliminary report on how things were working. (10/13/17) Camas The Camas School Board approved a district plan to “flip flop” school start times, with older students starting school one hour later and younger students starting one hour earlier, beginning in the fall of 2018. Highline School District Aviation High School in Seattle is a regional high school that has always had a 9 a.m. start time Evergreen School District Evergreen Public Schools pushed high school start times back to 8:40 a.m. in the fall of 2016. Citing studies about teenage sleep patterns and improved academic performance and attendance, plus requests from parents, the district will have high school students start about an hour later than the current time. Elementary and middle school start times shifted only slightly. A year later, school officials said it was too early too look at hard data but that students seemed happier. Lake Washington School District Northshore School District Issaquah Mercer Island School District Changed high school start time from 7:20 a.m. to 8 a.m., although many families would like to see even later bell times and a committee is consider moving them later (12/5/14) Seattle Lutheran School Seattle Public Schools Tacoma (Annie Wright Schools) Annie Wright Schools (private) in the fall of 2019 pushed back the start time of the academic school day for grades 9-12 four days a week from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Mondays still start at 8 a.m. Walla Walla Moving both middle and high schools later in 2019-20--and saving money to boot! West Virginia
Kanawha County In the 2018-19 school year, moved bell times to the following: 8:30 a.m. for high-schoolers, 8 a.m. for middle school students and 7:30 a.m. for elementary students. Changes were made to better accommodate the sleep needs of older students. Wisconsin
Big Foot High school started classes 20 minutes later--7:45 a.m. instead of 7:25 a.m.--beginning in school year 2019-20. Madison Starting middle schools about an hour later (8:40 a.m.) as of school year 2019-20. River Falls Superintendent formed committee, which surveyed parents, staff, and others about potential change, and then added change goal to strategic plan. The 2011 change was based on sleep science. Bell times did not change as much as leadership recommended: high school moved from 7:25–2:35 to 7:45-250; middle school from 7:30–2:35 to 7:45–2:50; and elementary school from 8:35–3:40 to 8:45–3:50. Shorewood Whitnall High School, Greenfield Wyoming
International (Outside the USA)
Australia Kimberly Halls Creek District High School Usually the first bell rings at 7.30am but after surveying parents the school has decided to change the start time to 8.15am. Canada Ontario Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute in Toronto started allowing students to arrive at 10 a.m.' Keewatin-Patricia District School Board Newfoundland Corner Brook Schools Nova Scotia Liverpool Saskatchewan Regina Catholic Schools Namibia Rwanda The Ministry of Education changed school opening time to 8:30 a.m. across the board--because it's better for kids. Rwandan schools had been opening at 8.00 AM but on October 12, 2022 the cabinet pushed the opening of schools to 8.30 a.m. and the closing hour, to 5.00PM from the current 4.30 p.m.. Singapore Nanyang Girls School delayed bell time by 45 minutes to 8:15 a.m. without changing school end time. South Korea Bundang District, Gyeonggi United Arab Emirates A new school offering an IB curriculum opens in Dubai in August 2022. The official school day will begin at 9am taking into consideration children’s natural sleep cycles and allowing their learning to be in balance with family life. This is later than any other school in the Emirate.The later start time of 9am will be supported by a combination of optional wraparound care from 7am to 9am and from 5pm to 7pm, along with an extensive selection of co-curricular activities, including sports, arts, and homework club from 8am to 8:45am and from 4pm to 5pm. Taiwan Taipei Under the new guidelines from Taipei's Ministry of Education (MOE), morning study periods at high schools became optional starting in 2022-23, meaning that no high school student can be required to arrive at school earlier than 8:10 a.m. The new regulations came as a relief to many students and parents who feel that the later start times will give high school students more time to rest. United Arab Emirates Bloom World Academy, Dubai Dubai British School Jumeirah Park Jumeira Baccalaureate School, Dubai United Kingdom Monkseaton High School (gradually moved to 10 a.m. starts from the more traditional 9 a.m. start time) Hampton Court House is now starting lessons at 1:30 pm for the sixth form, with classes ending at 7 p.m. (as of 2014) Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City. Many HCM City parents have proposed that public schools start half an hour later than the current 7 am to give children more time to sleep and have breakfast before school. |
