Never heard of students walking, riding, bicycling, & driving to school in the dark until I came to Florida. I am a 30 high school teacher in 5 states, mother of 4, grandmother of 4. Have been part of two year-long studies on school start times in Florida, in 1995 & 2011. In 2012, FL state legislature considered language that would have mandated this, & sponsored by one of the most powerful legislators in the state. This proposed legislation did not make it "out of committee", for lack of time before the end of the Legislative Session. The Legislator moved on to Congress, forwarding all his communication to myself & a pediatrician in the Panhandle, also leading the study. School start times change every year, as do statistics on student fatalities & injuries before 8AM on school days. Hence studies must be done anew each year. Granted, the further south you are in the US, the later sunrise is. This week for example: Boston MA sunrise was at 6:03 AM, Washington DC at 6:32 AM, & Treasure Coast counties at 6:58 AM. Indian River County & St Lucie County have students walking to bus stops a full hour before sunrise! And vehicle drivers driving east AT sunrise are often blinded by the sun as it rises. In the past 10 years, many FL counties have adjusted their start times with school authorities seeing higher test scores and improved attendance; police, less misdemeanors committed by teens in the afternoon; health dept, less teen pregnancies reportedly due to after-school activity; random polls, after school jobs & sports un-effected.
Brenda Chappelear - 7 years ago
When I asked my son what he thought about high school starting later he said " I would probably stay up later since I don't have to get up as early."
Roxanne Zoffer - 7 years ago
It would be a huge adjustment in many aspects from daycare to aftercare to extracurricular activities and sports. But studies clearly show these changes would benefit all age groups.
Robert Writer - 7 years ago
Teens hate to get up early.They would learn more if they got better sleep
Never heard of students walking, riding, bicycling, & driving to school in the dark until I came to Florida. I am a 30 high school teacher in 5 states, mother of 4, grandmother of 4. Have been part of two year-long studies on school start times in Florida, in 1995 & 2011. In 2012, FL state legislature considered language that would have mandated this, & sponsored by one of the most powerful legislators in the state. This proposed legislation did not make it "out of committee", for lack of time before the end of the Legislative Session. The Legislator moved on to Congress, forwarding all his communication to myself & a pediatrician in the Panhandle, also leading the study. School start times change every year, as do statistics on student fatalities & injuries before 8AM on school days. Hence studies must be done anew each year. Granted, the further south you are in the US, the later sunrise is. This week for example: Boston MA sunrise was at 6:03 AM, Washington DC at 6:32 AM, & Treasure Coast counties at 6:58 AM. Indian River County & St Lucie County have students walking to bus stops a full hour before sunrise! And vehicle drivers driving east AT sunrise are often blinded by the sun as it rises. In the past 10 years, many FL counties have adjusted their start times with school authorities seeing higher test scores and improved attendance; police, less misdemeanors committed by teens in the afternoon; health dept, less teen pregnancies reportedly due to after-school activity; random polls, after school jobs & sports un-effected.
When I asked my son what he thought about high school starting later he said " I would probably stay up later since I don't have to get up as early."
It would be a huge adjustment in many aspects from daycare to aftercare to extracurricular activities and sports. But studies clearly show these changes would benefit all age groups.
Teens hate to get up early.They would learn more if they got better sleep