Dive Brief:
- The new "Orange Ribbon Bill for Healthy School Hours" campaign is taking aim at early start times in Maryland schools, and the state's governor has enacted bipartisan legislation to help schools implement later class times.
- New start times will go into effect as of July 1, 2016.
- Some Maryland public high schools currently start classes before 7:30 a.m, but recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggest middle and high schools should not start before 8:30 a.m.
Dive Insight:
The Children’s National Medical Center’s Division of Sleep Medicine found students are less likely to be depressed and more likely to be alert in class if they are offered more time to sleep.
Previously in Maryland, the Montgomery County School Board considered a later start time. Starting in 2013, county Superintendent Joshua Starr created a “Bell Times Work Group,” which was tasked with determining the potential benefits of a later start time. But despite compelling evidence for later start times, the plan was ultimately placed on hold due to a cost barrier of $21 million needed for implementation.
Other states have also made steps forward. For the 2016-17 school year, all Seattle public high schools will open after 8:30 a.m. Fairfax, VA high schools have also pushed start times back to 8:00 a.m. In the entire U.S., Louisiana is currently home to the earliest average start time for public high schools, which is reportedly 7:40 a.m.
