Later

[Unkotare]

A lot of talk recently about starting school later as a means of improving student performance and health. There are pros and cons. It is easy to say "great idea!" but there are many details to consider.

To improve kids' mental health, some schools start later

The idea of later school start times, pushed by many over the years as a way to help adolescents get more sleep, is getting a new look as a way to address the mental health crisis affecting teens across the U.S. Nationally, at least nine states are considering legislation related to school start...

apnews.com

 

[rightwinger]

Never understood it
If HS kids are not getting enough sleep, have them go to bed earlier. Thats what adults do.
If you start school later, they will just stay up later chatting on their phones

 

[rightwinger]

The reasons why high schools start as early as they do — many begin their day before 7:30 a.m. — are “lost to the sands of history,” Buxton said. But now, he said, ”everything is baked into that: traffic light patterns, bus schedules and adults’ work.”

50 years ago, I started HS at 7:30 AM. The reason was that after the School Busses picked up the HS Students, they picked up the Jr High Students for an 8:30 AM start and then picked up the Elementary School Kids for a 9:30 AM start

If you want to start the HS kids an hour later, you have to shift everyone else and start the Elementary School kids at 10:30.
That means Elementary School kids will not get out of school till 5 PM and they will not get home until 5:30 PM

 

[Unkotare]

You also have to consider if kids participate in after school activities like sports you could have them getting home at 9, 10 pm or later. Tough to get dinner in and to bed at a reasonable hour that way.

 

[Unkotare]

And think about how it might affect traffic patterns as mentioned above. Ever get stuck behind a school bus making stops? Multiply that tenfold and put it right in the heart of rush hour.

 

[braalian]

Having to go to bed at a reasonable hour and get up early is a good life lesson for kids.

 

[Unkotare]

Having to go to bed at a reasonable hour and get up early is a good life lesson for kids.

True, but not getting enough sleep is particularly bad for young people.

 

[Unkotare]

Another issue might arise for families where both mother and father work and need to rely on daycare. A later start might require a drop off at daycare too late for one parent to get to work on time. The effects of any such change would ripple through many aspects of daily life.