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Exploring the Evidence: 7 Comprehensive Reasons Why School Should Start Later for Enhanced Student Well-being and Academic Success

The debate on the optimal timing for school start times has gained considerable momentum, presenting compelling reasons why school should start later. This growing consensus among educators, parents, and researchers highlights the profound benefits such a shift could have on student health and academic performance.

Traditionally, schools have adhered to an early morning schedule, a routine that is increasingly viewed as misaligned with adolescent physiological rhythms and conducive to chronic sleep deprivation. This discrepancy between school schedules and the natural sleep patterns of teenagers has sparked a significant reevaluation of how educational institutions can best support the developmental and learning needs of their students.

Advocating for later start times is not merely a call for more sleep; it represents a holistic approach to enhancing the educational environment by optimizing the physical and mental well-being of students. The argument for delayed start times is supported by a wealth of research indicating improvements in various areas of student life, including academic achievement, mental health, and physical wellness.

Reasons why School should Start Later in the Morning: – Better for students sleep and attendance – Don’t need to stay up as late to do homework because you can do it in the morning — Pisha 🍉 ⪩⚢⪨ Et Le Ena Piou (@mafuanenautism)  September 30, 2022

However, transitioning to a later schedule also presents logistical challenges and potential drawbacks, such as impacts on extracurricular activities, family routines, and community infrastructure, which must be thoughtfully addressed.

This article embarks on a comprehensive examination of the subject, exploring the multifaceted benefits of starting school later, the considerations and challenges that come with such a change, and the real-world implications as evidenced by initiatives like those undertaken by the Seattle School District. Through this analysis, we aim to provide a balanced perspective on why the shift towards later school start times could represent a significant step forward in fostering environments that truly cater to the needs and potentials of our young learners.

On this page, you will discover:

• The Benefits of Starting School Later →
• The Potential Drawbacks of Starting School Later →
• The Impact of Delayed School Start Times in Seattle School District →

7 Reasons Why School Should Start Later

Wendy Troxel attributes the lack of sufficient sleep among teens not to Snapchat, social lives, or hormones, but to public policy, specifically early school start times, and shares insights from her dual perspective as a sleep researcher and a mother in a must-watch video on how this affects adolescents during a crucial stage of their lives.

Now, let’s delve into the compelling reasons why school should start later, exploring seven key factors that highlight the benefits of adjusting school schedules for the betterment of student health, engagement, and academic performance.

1. Improves Academic Performance

Adequate sleep is essential for adolescents, who are at a pivotal stage of development and learning. The evidence linking sufficient rest to improved academic outcomes is compelling, suggesting that later school start times could play a key role in enhancing students’ educational achievements.

The correlation between adequate sleep and enhanced academic performance is well-documented. Studies by organizations such as the National Sleep Foundation underscore the critical role sleep plays in cognitive functions, including memory retention, focus, and decision-making processes. Adolescents, who are in a crucial phase of brain development, particularly benefit from extended sleep, as it directly influences their ability to learn and excel academically.

A later school start time aligns with their natural sleep cycles, allowing for a more alert and engaged mindset during school hours. This alignment not only fosters an environment conducive to learning but also translates into tangible outcomes such as higher test scores and grade improvements. Consequently, the shift to later start times could serve as a strategic approach to bolster academic success, addressing educational priorities and student well-being in tandem.

Why It Is Important

• Academic success is key for future opportunities, shaping higher education and career paths.
• Enhanced performance from later start times correlates with better cognitive functions: memory, attention, and problem-solving.
• Quality sleep, aligned with circadian rhythms, leads to deeper, more restorative rest, essential for learning and memory.
• Alert, focused students are more likely to actively participate and retain information.
• Benefits individual students and contributes to a positive, productive learning environment.
• Later start times are a strategic approach to enhance educational outcomes and prepare students for success.

Discover in this video how mastering healthy sleep habits can serve as a genuine performance enhancer in the classroom, leading to better sleep and higher GPAs for students.

2. Allows Teens to Get More Sleep

The mismatch between teenagers’ biological clocks and early school schedules is a significant barrier to their health and well-being. Recognizing the critical importance of sleep for this age group underlines the need for adjustments in school start times to support their developmental needs.

Adopting later school start times harmonizes with teenagers’ biological clocks, addressing the mismatch between early school schedules and adolescents’ sleep needs. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations highlight the importance of adequate sleep for teenagers, a demographic often burdened by early start times and societal pressures that encroach on their sleep duration. This shift not only ensures they meet the optimal sleep quota but also enhances their overall health and cognitive function.

The benefits extend beyond the mere number of hours slept; the quality of sleep improves, fostering better mental, emotional, and physical health. This holistic improvement in well-being is crucial during adolescence, a period marked by significant growth and development challenges.

• Adequate sleep is crucial for teenagers’ physical and mental development, supporting growth, immune response, and emotional regulation.
• Recommended sleep leads to fewer behavioral issues and improved decision-making.
• Important during adolescence, a time of significant development.
• Sufficient sleep is linked to better mood regulation and reduced risk-taking.
• Schools can help teens get the necessary sleep, promoting academic success and well-being.
• Recognizes the link between physical health, mental health, and academic achievement.

Behavioral and social scientist Wendy Troxel explains how early school start times essentially cause daily jetlag for students and advocates for a change in their morning routines in a compelling video worth watching.

3. Reduces Absenteeism

Healthier students are more likely to attend school consistently, underscoring the impact of sleep on immune function and overall wellness. By adapting school schedules to allow for more sleep, educators can directly contribute to reducing absenteeism and enhancing the learning environment.

Later school start times contribute to a healthier student body, which directly impacts attendance rates. Sleep deprivation compromises the immune system, making students more susceptible to illness and, consequently, more likely to miss school. By ensuring that students get sufficient rest, schools can see a reduction in absenteeism.

This not only benefits students’ academic performance and continuity of learning but also contributes to a more vibrant, participatory school environment. Improved health outcomes due to adequate sleep thus serve as a preventive measure against common ailments, ensuring that students remain present and engaged in their educational journey.

• Regular attendance is essential for continuous learning and success.
• Each missed day is a lost opportunity for learning and interaction.
• Absenteeism creates knowledge gaps, affecting confidence and curriculum engagement.
• Reducing absenteeism with later start times ensures full participation in education.
• Improves academic outcomes, social integration, and school connectedness.
• Alleviates administrative and teaching challenges, leading to a more efficient educational process.

Matt Pearl explores how what seems like a harmless day off can quickly escalate into habitual truancy, and highlights one school district’s innovative plan to combat this issue and refill empty seats in a must-see video.

4. Lowers Risk of Depression and Mental Health Issues

The crucial relationship between sleep and mental health, particularly in adolescents, cannot be overstated. Addressing sleep deprivation through later school start times is a preventative measure that could significantly improve students’ mental health outcomes.

The interplay between sleep and mental health is critical, especially during the volatile adolescent years. Inadequate sleep has been consistently linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. By shifting school start times later, students are afforded the opportunity to align their sleep schedules with their biological needs, significantly mitigating these risks.

This preventive approach to mental health is of paramount importance, considering the rising incidence of mental health challenges among teenagers. Providing an environment that supports adequate sleep can be a fundamental strategy in promoting mental well-being, offering a buffer against the stressors and challenges of adolescence.

• Mental health’s critical role in students’ well-being and success is undeniable, with adolescence being a particularly vulnerable period for the onset of issues like depression and anxiety. Sleep deprivation significantly exacerbates these conditions.
• Ensuring adequate sleep is foundational for robust mental health, enabling students to better manage stress and the myriad challenges of adolescence with greater resilience.
• Schools that implement later start times contribute to a proactive approach to mental health care, leading to a noticeable reduction in the incidence and severity of mental health issues among students.
• This initiative fosters a supportive educational environment where every aspect of student well-being is nurtured, promoting a healthy school climate conducive to learning and growth.

William Brangham delves into why many teens struggle to get the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep, the prevalence of insomnia among them, and the significant impact on their mental health in this insightful video.

Delve into the critical role of mental health in educational success with “ 8 Reasons Why Students Should Have Mental Health Days: A Research-Based Analysis ” offering evidence-based arguments for the integration of mental health days into school policies to enhance student well-being and academic performance.

5. Reduces Drowsy Driving in Teens

With the initiation of driving coinciding with the teenage years, the risk of drowsy driving becomes a pressing concern. Adjusting school start times to ensure teenagers get enough sleep could be a critical step in enhancing road safety and reducing accidents.

Teenage years coincide with the commencement of driving for many, introducing risks associated with drowsy driving. The CDC has identified sleep deprivation as a key factor in teen driving accidents. By enabling teens to align their sleep schedules with natural rhythms through later school start times, the incidence of drowsy driving can be significantly reduced.

This has the dual benefit of enhancing individual safety and contributing to broader public safety outcomes. Preventing accidents through such measures not only saves lives but also fosters a culture of responsible driving habits among young individuals.

• The safety of teenage drivers is a paramount concern, with drowsy driving posing a significant risk not just to the drivers but to the community at large. The alertness of drivers is crucial and is directly influenced by the amount of sleep they have received.
• By pushing school start times later, we can mitigate the risk of accidents caused by sleep deprivation, significantly enhancing public safety and specifically safeguarding teenage drivers, who are often less experienced and more vulnerable on the road.
• This measure not only prioritizes the health and safety of students but also contributes to the broader goal of ensuring safer roads and communities.

Explore the findings of a new study on teen drivers and the risks of drowsy driving in this informative video recommended for viewing.

6. Helps Teens Feel Happier

Sleep deprivation negatively impacts adolescents’ mood and overall happiness. Schools that adopt later start times can help align students’ schedules with their natural sleep patterns, fostering improved well-being and a more positive school experience.

Aligning school schedules with teenagers’ natural sleep cycles can significantly enhance their overall happiness and well-being. The dissonance between early school start times and adolescents’ biological predisposition for later sleep and wake patterns can lead to chronic sleep deprivation , affecting mood and well-being.

By adopting later start times, schools can help rectify this misalignment, allowing students to adhere to a more natural sleep schedule. This adjustment can lead to improved mood, greater resilience, and a more positive outlook on life, which are crucial for healthy adolescent development and academic success.

• The well-being and happiness of students are essential for their active engagement and enjoyment of their educational journey. Students who are well-rested show a marked increase in engagement, curiosity, and motivation.
• By aligning school start times with teens’ natural sleep cycles, there’s a significant improvement in students’ overall mood and outlook on life, which in turn enhances their social relationships and reduces conflict.
• This positive adjustment has been linked to not only a more vibrant school environment but also to tangible improvements in academic performance, demonstrating the deep interconnectedness between emotional well-being and educational outcomes.

Discover how a high school in Dedham, Massachusetts is combating student feelings of hopelessness with an innovative course on finding happiness through savoring experiences and fostering relationships in this inspiring video.

7. Reduced Stress

The stress induced by early mornings and lack of sleep can significantly affect students’ academic and social lives. By moving the start of the school day later, schools can alleviate a major source of daily stress, contributing to a healthier, more conducive learning environment.

The impact of sleep on stress levels cannot be overstated. Starting school later can significantly reduce the morning rush, a source of daily stress for many students. This reduction in stress can have a domino effect on various aspects of students’ lives, including their academic performance, social interactions, and overall mental health.

By mitigating one of the many stressors in students’ lives, schools can create a more supportive and productive learning environment. The benefits of such a change extend beyond the individual, positively affecting the school culture and community at large.

• Stress stands as a formidable barrier to both learning and mental health, with its ability to impair cognitive function and negatively affect academic performance. The rush and pressure of early mornings contribute significantly to students’ stress levels.
• Adopting a later start to the school day offers students a schedule that is more in sync with their natural sleep patterns, effectively reducing morning stress and allowing for a calmer, more focused start to their academic activities.
• This reduction in stress is beneficial not only for students’ academic performance but also for their mental and physical health, contributing to a more positive, supportive, and productive educational environment.

Discover why starting school later could help teens get the more sleep they need and improve their lives in various ways in this video, addressing common concerns about sleep needs for younger people.

Discover “ 7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives ” for a comprehensive analysis of the homework debate, presenting alternative strategies to improve student learning.

The Potential Drawbacks of Starting School Later

1. scheduling sports and extracurriculars becomes more difficult.

The integration of later school start times presents a unique set of challenges for the scheduling of sports and extracurricular activities, which are vital components of a student’s holistic development. The shift could potentially disrupt the delicate balance between academic commitments and extracurricular engagement, affecting students’ ability to participate in these valuable experiences.

One potential drawback of starting school later is the complication it introduces to scheduling sports and extracurricular activities. Many students are actively involved in after-school programs, including sports teams, clubs, and other organizations that play a significant role in their development. This presents a clear argument for why school should not start later, as it could lead to conflicts with extracurricular activities that depend on fixed schedules. This can result in logistical challenges for both students and program coordinators, potentially causing students to miss out on opportunities that contribute to their growth beyond academics.

In response to this challenge, schools and communities can adapt by rethinking and possibly reinventing the scheduling and structure of extracurricular activities. Flexibility in planning, such as holding some activities in the morning or making more efficient use of weekends, can ensure students continue to benefit from these programs. Moreover, a later start time might actually enhance student participation and performance in extracurriculars, as students would be better rested and more focused, potentially leading to a richer extracurricular experience.

2. Increases Childcare Costs and Logistical Challenges for Working Parents

Transitioning to later school start times poses significant logistical and financial challenges for working parents, necessitating adjustments in childcare arrangements and potentially disrupting daily routines. This change can introduce added stress and financial burden on families, complicating the work-life balance that is crucial for the well-being of both parents and students.

The shift to later school start times can increase childcare costs and create logistical challenges for working parents. Parents may find themselves needing to arrange for additional morning care or adjust their work schedules to accommodate the change. This can add financial strain and complicate the balance between work and family life, creating stress and potentially impacting the overall well-being of families.

However, the community and employers can play a crucial role in easing this transition. Workplaces could offer more flexible working hours or remote work options to accommodate the needs of parents. Additionally, schools and community organizations might develop affordable before-school programs to support families. This approach not only addresses the logistical and financial concerns but also fosters a community-centric solution that benefits both students and their families.

3. May Make After-School Jobs and Activities More Difficult

Adjusting school hours to start later in the day could inadvertently impact students’ ability to engage in after-school jobs and activities, critical for their personal development and financial support. This shift may limit the time available for such commitments, posing challenges for students who depend on the afternoon and early evening hours for work and extracurricular participation.

For students who rely on after-school jobs for income or participate in non-school activities, a later dismissal time can significantly reduce the available hours for work and other commitments. This could affect their ability to support themselves or their families financially and limit their engagement in valuable community or personal development activities.

On the flip side, a later start time can lead to more alert and productive students, potentially making them more efficient in balancing work, activities, and school responsibilities. Schools and local businesses could collaborate to offer flexible working arrangements for students, recognizing the mutual benefits of supporting adolescent development while maintaining their contribution to the workforce and community engagement.

4. Reduces Time for Homework and Family Activities

A later dismissal time from school may compress the window available for homework, relaxation, and family time, essential components of a student’s well-being and academic success. This reduction in available time during the evening can increase stress and limit opportunities for meaningful family interaction and adequate academic preparation.

With a later end to the school day, students might find themselves with less time for homework, relaxation, and family activities in the evening. This compression of non-school hours could lead to increased stress, less downtime, and diminished family interaction, which are all important for a student’s well-being and academic success. Uncover persuasive reasons against adopting year-round schooling in “ Comprehensive Analysis: 8 Strong Reasons Why School Should Not Be Year-Round ” highlighting its possible effects on both students and educators.

This challenge necessitates a more efficient approach to homework and after-school time management, potentially encouraging schools to reassess the volume and nature of homework assigned. With strategic planning and support, students can learn to manage their time effectively, ensuring they have sufficient opportunities for both academic responsibilities and family engagement. Additionally, the quality of family time can improve when students are less stressed and more rested, making the time spent together more meaningful.

The Impact of Delayed School Start Times in Seattle School District

In the 2016-2017 academic year, the Seattle School District embarked on a pioneering initiative to address the chronic sleep deprivation affecting its secondary school students. Recognizing the mounting evidence on the importance of adequate sleep for adolescents’ physical, and mental health, and academic performance, the district made a decisive move to delay the start times of its secondary schools from 7:50 am to 8:45 am. This change was aimed at aligning school schedules more closely with students’ biological sleep needs, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and academic outcomes.

Researchers from the University of Washington seized this opportunity to conduct a comprehensive study, both before and after the implementation of the new start times. Their research included students from two public high schools in Seattle, providing a valuable case study on the impacts of such policy changes.

The findings, published in Science Advances, revealed significant benefits stemming from the later start times. On average, students gained an additional 34 minutes of sleep per night, increasing their total nightly sleep from six hours and 50 minutes to seven hours and 24 minutes. This increase brought students closer to achieving the recommended sleep amount and marked a reversal in the century-long trend of gradual sleep loss among adolescents.

The benefits of this policy change extended beyond just improved sleep duration:

• Improved Sleep Duration: The policy change led to longer sleep times for students.
• Enhanced Academic Performance: Observations showed a significant increase in students’ academic achievements.
• Increased Punctuality and Attendance: Notably higher rates of on-time arrivals and attendance, especially in economically disadvantaged schools.
• Narrowing Socioeconomic Learning Gap: The change suggests the potential to reduce disparities in educational outcomes between low and high socioeconomic groups.
• Reduced Daytime Sleepiness: Students experienced less sleepiness during the day, indicating better sleep quality and its positive effect on daily engagement and functioning.

Dr. Tara Narula reports on a Seattle school district that transitioned to a later start time, showcasing the positive outcomes of the study, making it a highly recommended video to watch for insights on the impact of such changes.

Despite the success observed in Seattle, such shifts in school start times remain relatively rare across the United States, where the typical start time still hovers around 8 a.m. However, the Seattle School District’s experience stands as a compelling testament to the benefits of later start times, supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ advocacy for this change as an effective countermeasure to the widespread issue of sleep deprivation among teenagers.

The Seattle School District’s initiative demonstrates a proactive approach to student health and education, providing valuable insights and evidence for other districts contemplating similar adjustments. By prioritizing the sleep needs of students, the district not only improved their academic and health outcomes but also set a precedent for the importance of aligning educational policies with scientific research on adolescent well-being.

Useful Resources

• Time Management Activities For High School Students
• Daily Routine For Students: Recommendations And Techniques
• How to Reduce Student Stress and Excel in School

Final Thoughts

The conversation surrounding delayed school start times is complex, yet the evidence, especially from the Seattle School District, provides clear reasons why school should start later, highlighting the potential for significant positive changes in student well-being and academic success. As education stakeholders consider the future of school schedules, balancing the advantages with logistical concerns will be crucial. Ultimately, the goal is to create educational environments that best support the development and achievement of every student.

• How Would Later School Start Times Affect Sleep?
• Sleep is key to help teens recharge for success this school year
• 4 Benefits of Later School Start Times
• Teenagers and sleep
• Drowsy Driving: Asleep at the Wheel
• School Start Times for Adolescents
• Later School Start Times More Popular, But What Are the Drawbacks?
• Students can benefit from starting school later – study
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Simona Johnes is the visionary being the creation of our project. Johnes spent much of her career in the classroom working with students. And, after many years in the classroom, Johnes became a principal.

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student opinion

Should Your School Day Start Later?

If it did, would students get more sleep? Or would they just stay up later?

By Shannon Doyne

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Do you get enough sleep during the school year? If not, what keeps you from being well rested?

Do you wish your school day started later? In your opinion, what would be the advantages and drawbacks of a later start time?

In “ California Tells Schools to Start Later, Giving Teenagers More Sleep, ” Christine Hauser and Isabella Kwai write about a new California law that pushes back start times at most public middle and high schools. The law cites research that says attendance and performance will improve if teenagers get more sleep. The article states:

The passage of the law followed years of mounting calls for later school start times from sleep experts who said such a move would optimize learning, reduce tardiness and contribute to overall well-being. The law encourages districts to publish research on their websites about the impact of sleep deprivation on adolescents. A frequently cited policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, made in 2014, called insufficient sleep for adolescents a “public health issue” and recommended that most schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine agreed. In one 2006 poll from the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of adolescents in the United States said they slept for an insufficient length of time on school nights, and 19 percent of students said they fell asleep in school at least once a week. Another study, published in 2017 by the University of Minnesota, which surveyed 9,000 students across five school districts with varying start times, found that those who started school later slept more. Students who had more sleep reported better mental health outcomes and less use of substances like alcohol and cigarettes. Students who slept more also had improved attendance and enrollment rates, and they were less likely to drive while drowsy. About 90 percent of high schools and 80 percent of middle schools in the nation start before 8:30 a.m., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2014.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Do you feel like you get enough sleep?

What would be your ideal time to start the school day? What about to end the school day? Why?

How would changing your school’s start and end times affect activities like sports, clubs and part-time jobs?

Anthony J. Portantino, a Democratic state senator who wrote the bill, calls later start times for schools a “magic bullet” when it comes to education. What are your thoughts on this? Can later start times really improve things like test scores, attendance and graduation rates? Explain.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

4 Benefits of Later School Start Times

Later school start times bring more sleep and improved health and academic success for teens.

Later School Start Time Benefits

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on school nights more than 70% of high schoolers don't get the eight to 10 hours of sleep they need.

Getting back on a school schedule can be a difficult adjustment after the lazy days of summer, especially for teens.

Experts say adolescents are biologically wired to stay up later than younger kids, and having to get up early for school contributes to them being chronically short on sleep . But delaying school start times can help.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has called insufficient sleep in adolescents a public health issue and recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. But as of 2017, the average start time for public high schools nationwide was 8 a.m., and 10% of schools started before 7:30.

This fall, California became the first state to mandate delayed school start times, with public high schools required to start classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m., and middle schools not before 8 a.m. Supporters say the change will not only let California teens and tweens catch a few extra Z’s, but will bring many other important benefits.

“There are resulting improvements across the board: grades improve, attendance goes up and graduation rates go up fairly significantly,” says Lisa L. Lewis, a parenting journalist and the author of "The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, And How Parents And Schools Can Help Them Thrive."

Opponents to later start times say they can cause significant logistical issues with bus routes, parent work schedules and extracurriculars like after-school sports.

But advocates say the benefits are worth the cost. States like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts are considering also making the change.

“Studies have shown over and over that teens get more sleep when school starts later, with research-based benefits to their physical and mental health, academic performance and beyond,” says Elinore Boeke, communications director for Start School Later, a nonprofit organization that lobbied for California's new law.

California's implementation of the new rules comes at a time when many teens' sleep habits have changed for the worse due to the pandemic .

Here are some of the benefits of later school start times:

• Better mental and physical health.
• Improved academic outcomes.
• Reduced risk of car accidents and injuries.
• Less tardiness.

Better Mental and Physical Health  

Teenagers need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, but almost 60% of middle schoolers and more than 70% of high schoolers don't get enough sleep on school nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In adolescence, changes to the body's "sleep drive" and a delayed release of the sleep hormone melatonin make it more difficult for teens to fall asleep early.

Research shows that when school starts later, teens get more sleep, says Shelby Harris, a sleep psychologist and clinical associate professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine , with "many adolescents able to obtain at least eight hours of sleep per night." That leads to better physical and mental health, including decreased rates of depression and anxiety and less caffeine use, Harris says.

Teens who reported they got at least eight hours of sleep per night were more likely to say they have good overall health and less likely to report being depressed or using caffeine and other substances, per a study by the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota.

“Kids are more likely to eat breakfast, and teachers find kids smiling and awake to learn in first period,” Boeke says.

What to Do When Your Kid Refuses School

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Improved Academic Outcomes

When school starts later, "mood, academics, attendance and graduation rates all improve,” says Harris.

For instance, one study by the National Sleep Foundation found that both attendance and graduation rates   "significantly improved" in schools that delayed their start times to 8:30 a.m. or later.

Studying middle schools in Wake County, North Carolina, with variable start times, economics professor Finley Edwards found that starting school an hour later would raise test scores an average of 2 percentile points in math and 1.5 points in English. Effects were larger for lower-performing students.

Using Edwards' methodology, but on a national scale, the authors of another study estimated that National Assessment of Educational Progress math scores for eighth graders would increase as much as 8 points if schools started one hour later, which many experts say is equivalent to almost a full grade-level increase.

Jessica Baltaxe, an 11th grader at Angelo Rodriguez High School in Fairfield, California, is starting school a half-hour later this year, and says students like being able to sleep in.

"A half-hour doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but it makes a big difference," she says.

"Many students go to bed late because of the demands of their coursework and extracurriculars, so by providing extra time in the morning it sets them up to have a more productive day."

Reduced Risk of Car Accidents and Injuries

Multiple studies  have shown that both overall car crash and distracted driving crash rates drop significantly with delayed school start times, which can reduce mortality and morbidity in adolescents.

Research on delayed school start times also show that there are fewer sports-related injuries, Harris says.

Several  studies  show the importance of adequate sleep for student athletes.

"Getting a good night's sleep and getting it at the right time has been shown to improve student athletes' accuracy and reaction time and significantly lessen their risk of injury," Boeke says.

Hansika Daggolu is in 11th grade at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California, where the start of the school day has moved from 8 a.m. to 8:30. She's looking forward to the change.

“I think having later school start times would be especially beneficial for me and other kids who have after-school commitments like sports. We will be getting more sleep, so we will be able to perform better,” Daggolu says.

Less Tardiness

Regular tardiness can be an issue for sleep-deprived teens. But starting school later makes it easier for students to arrive on time.

“Repeated studies show that starting secondary schools at 8:30 a.m. or later significantly boosts on-time attendance,” says Joy Wake, advocacy director for Start School Later.

She notes this is especially so for financially disadvantaged or lower-performing students who already face obstacles in getting enough sleep and getting to school on time.

“Being well-rested boosts emotional resiliency,” Lewis says. “When teens get more sleep, they’re better equipped emotionally to deal with all of the daily stressors.”

While tardiness may not have been an issue for Baltaxe, she says the later start times make a big difference for busy students like herself.

“Before, I was still waking up during class, but now I feel more prepared to take on the day,” Baltaxe says.

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Why both teens and teachers could benefit from later school start times

Lecturer in Science Education, Sussex School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex

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James Williams does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Sussex provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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A typical school day in the UK starts around 8.30am. This is often even earlier elsewhere in the world, with students sitting down to their first lesson at 7.30am in the US.

But these early start times can play havoc with teenager’s natural sleeping patterns – with research showing that waking a teenager at seven in the morning for school is similar to waking an adult at four in the morning . And while many adults wouldn’t relish such an early alarm call every working day, it’s a “non-negotiable” expectation for teenagers.

The average teenager ideally needs eight to nine hours’ sleep each night, but in reality a lot of teenagers struggle to get this much – which can then impact their performance in the classroom.

A lot of the problems arise because our sleep patterns are not fixed, and they change as we grow . For teenagers, melatonin – the sleep hormone – doesn’t start being produced until 11pm. This is why teens don’t start feeling sleepy until late at night, and why simply telling a teenager to go to bed earlier doesn’t work.

This has led to calls for later school start times for teenagers to align more closely with their bodies’ biology.

What the research shows

A major study published in 2014 examined the impact of later start times on 9,000 US teenagers. Researchers found that:

Grades earned in core subject areas of math, English, science and social studies, plus performance on state and national achievement tests, attendance rates and reduced tardiness show significantly positive improvement with the later start times.

They also found that with less sleep than recommended, the students reported that they had:

Significantly higher depression symptoms, greater use of caffeine, and are at greater risk of making poor choices for substance use.

In the US – where teenagers can legally drive from the age of 16 – the research also found later start times led to a decrease in car accidents involving teenage drivers.

Why teenagers sleep differently

To understand why a later school start time can make such a difference to teenagers’ lives, we need to take a look at the biology that governs their sleep wake cycle.

We all have a sort of hardwired “clock” in the brain – this is often referred to as our body clock. This “clock” controls the production of the hormone melatonin, and in turn, melatonin controls sleep. Melatonin is naturally produced in the brain and starts the process of sleepiness by telling your body that it’s time for bed.

Once asleep, we normally go through five sleep stages a night. And one of the stages – the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage – varies significantly with age.

REM sleep is linked to learning, and it’s during REM sleep that we dream. It is characterised by quick, random movements of the eyes and paralysis of the muscles. REM sleep normally makes up around 20-25% of an adult human’s total time spent asleep – or 90 to 120 minutes. We get to REM sleep about 70 to 90 minutes after falling asleep. And if we don’t achieve REM sleep, we wake up feeling tired.

Studies have also shown that lack of REM sleep can impact our ability to learn . And this is what happens to teenagers who do not get their full allocation of sleep. They fail to get to REM sleep and then wake up feeling tired, which can then impact their ability in the classroom that day.

The benefits for late starters

So a later school start time could help to solve this problem, by ensuring teenagers get their eight plus hours of sleep and react properly to their body’s natural rhythms.

The American Academy of Pediatrics , said in a policy statement in 2014 that:

Delaying school start times is an effective countermeasure to chronic sleep loss and has a wide range of potential benefits to students with regard to physical and mental health, safety, and academic achievement.

I believe we should also look again at the timing of the whole school day and see if we can make it better for everyone. Because in my experience, there has been a general shift over the past 25 years to shorten the school day.

This is not at the cost of teaching time (which has remained constant) but at the cost of natural breaks, which has led to reduced lunch times and lesson breaks.

This is mainly because it makes the management of children easier. Supervising hundreds of children “playing” requires effective staffing. And there is always the fear that behaviour deteriorates during breaks. So the theory goes that having them in class and strictly supervised must be better.

But this means that students barely have enough time to absorb what they were doing in maths before suddenly they are thrust into ancient history. And teaching staff also transition from one class to another, with hardly a rest or time to refocus.

Clearly rethinking the school day could benefit everyone involved. Yes, there may be challenges in terms of parental work patterns, transport to school or changing childcare arrangements, but it could also lead to better achievement in teenagers and less of a struggle for parents in the mornings. For teachers, it could also mean a less stressful day all around – and what could be better than that?

• School start times
• Teens and sleep

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Why Should School Start Later?

Table of Contents

Teens reverie sleep each day. This need does not imply laziness on their part or lack of ambition thereof. Instead, sleep cycles change as children grow into adolescence. In adolescence, teens stay up until late and only get up late. It happens because their bodies release a hormone called melatonin which regulates their sleep. Consequently, the melatonin-induced rest keeps teens asleep until 8 a.m. making it appropriate to go to school later. Schools starting later help improve physiological and psychological well-being and help improve learners’ educational performance.

Physiological and Physical Well-Being

Arguably, the most crucial reason schools should start later is adolescent physiology. Adolescents are still growing and developing, and their body clocks are still changing. Studies have shown that, due to these changes, adolescents tend to go to bed later and wake up later than adults, leading to a lack of sleep (Crowley et at., 2018). This lack of sleep can negatively affect adolescents’ physical and mental health, such as fatigue, irritability, and poor concentration. Starting school later would allow adolescents to get the amount of sleep they need. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that when schools started later, adolescents got an extra 42 minutes of sleep per night compared to when schools began earlier. This extra sleep can help to improve their physical and mental health and can help to improve their performance in school.

The teenage years are a time of rapid physical and psychological growth and development. As adolescents try to figure out who they are and where they fit in, they often feel overwhelmed by the pressures of school, their peers, and society. As a result, adolescents are more prone to stress and anxiety than adults. One way to help reduce this stress is to start school later in the morning. By giving adolescents more time to rest and relax before facing the pressures of school, they can better manage their stress levels (Freeman et at., 2020). Studies have shown that adolescents report feeling less stressed, more rested, and more alert when school starts later in the morning. These findings suggest that starting school later in the morning can reduce stress and improve psychological functioning in adolescents. In addition to reducing stress, starting school later can also help to enhance adolescents’ self-esteem.

Adolescents often struggle with insecurity and self-doubt as they try to fit in with their peers and find their place in the world (Freeman et al., 2020). As a result, they often compare themselves to their peers, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Starting school later can reduce this pressure by giving adolescents more time to rest and relax. This habit can help adolescents to accept themselves for who they are and be more confident in their abilities. Evidence from studies has shown that when school starts later in the morning, adolescents report feeling more positive about themselves, including handling more confident, less anxious, and less stressed (Patrick et al., 2020). Starting school later can also help adolescents better manage their emotions. Adolescents often struggle with regulating their emotions and can become easily overwhelmed by their feelings. These emotional states can lead to irritability, impulsivity, and aggression. However, starting school later in the morning can help reduce these feelings, giving adolescents more time to rest and relax before facing the pressures of school. Evidence from studies has shown that when school starts later, adolescents report feeling less irritable, more alert, and more capable of managing their emotions.

Educational Reasons

The most apparent educational benefit of starting school later is that it gives students more time to sleep. Sleep is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle and is vital for students’ physical and mental health. A later start can give students more time to get the sleep they need to be well-rested and alert during the school day. Studies have shown that students who get adequate sleep are more likely to perform academically, attend better, and be more motivated in school (Sweller et al., 2019). In addition to the potential health benefits of getting more sleep, starting school later can also provide more time for learning and development. With more time in the morning, adolescents can participate in activities such as studying, reading, or reviewing material they learned the previous day. This action can help improve their understanding of the material and help them retain the information longer.

A later start time can also provide more time for extracurricular activities and sports. These activities can help improve adolescents’ physical health and provide them with opportunities for social interaction and emotional development (Freeman et al., 2020). Providing adolescents more time for these activities can help improve their overall well-being. Furthermore, starting school later can help to reduce the stress that students often experience. With a later start time, students can spend more time on activities they enjoy and less worrying about getting up for school in the morning. This will help reduce stress levels and allows students to focus more on their education.

In conclusion, there are many advantages to having school start later. School starting later would give students more time to get adequate sleep, which helps with their mental and physical health. Furthermore, students would be more alert and have better focus during their classes, allowing them to absorb more information and make better grades. Later starting times also give students more time to spend on extracurricular activities and less time worrying about homework and exams. Finally, starting school later would reduce students’ stress and help create a more positive school environment. In addition, starting school later would benefit both students and teachers, an idea that school administrators should seriously consider.

• Crowley, S. J., Wolfson, A. R., Tarokh, L., & Carskadon, M. A. (2018). An update on adolescent sleep: New evidence informing the perfect storm model. Journal of Adolescence, 67 , 55-65.
• Freeman, S., Marston, H. R., Olynick, J., Musselwhite, C., Kulczycki, C., Genoe, R., & Xiong, B. (2020). Intergenerational effects on the impacts of technology use in later life: Insights from an international, multi-site study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (16), 5711.
• Patrick, S. W., Henkhaus, L. E., Zickafoose, J. S., Lovell, K., Halvorson, A., Loch, S., … & Davis, M. M. (2020). The well-being of parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national survey. Pediatrics ,  146 (4).
• Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31 (2), 261-292.
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Why Schools should Start Later for the Sake of Students’ Well-being

This essay is about the benefits of starting school later for students, emphasizing improvements in health, academic performance, and safety. It argues that adolescents’ natural sleep cycles require more rest, and early school start times lead to chronic sleep deprivation, negatively impacting cognitive function and mood. Research shows that later start times result in better grades and test scores due to increased alertness and engagement. Additionally, well-rested teens are less likely to be involved in car accidents, enhancing their safety. The essay also addresses potential challenges, such as disruptions to family schedules and extracurricular activities, and suggests solutions for a smooth transition to later start times.

How it works

The argument over when schools should start has heated up in recent years, with a growing number of scholars, parents, and educators supporting later start times. There are many strong arguments in favor of this reform, especially those that have to do with teenage health and academic achievement. We may gain a better understanding of why starting school later could significantly improve students’ lives by delving into these arguments and addressing the issues raised by a change in timetable.

Teenagers’ sleep habits are one of the best justifications for starting school later.

Teenagers and adults naturally have distinct sleep cycles from adolescents. They require more sleep and typically go to bed later. Early start hours for schools, however, conflict with these biological cycles, causing many teenagers to suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. This sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on their mood, memory, and cognitive skills. Based on studies, pupils are more likely to receive the appropriate amount of sleep when schools start later. This can improve their mental health overall, increase their ability to concentrate, and decrease absenteeism.

Beyond the health advantages, later starts are associated with higher academic achievement. Research indicates that students who get enough sleep exhibit higher levels of alertness and engagement during class. The American Academy of Pediatrics, for instance, discovered that pupils in high school who enrolled later in the year achieved better test scores and grades than students who enrolled earlier. This is explained by increased information retention capacity, less drowsiness during the day, and improved attention. Students who get enough sleep are less prone to burn out and are more likely to engage in active learning in the classroom.

The advantages of starting school later extend beyond health and academics. There’s also a safety factor to consider. Sleep-deprived teenagers are at a higher risk of engaging in risky behaviors and being involved in accidents, especially while driving. In locations where school start times were moved back, there was a drop in car accidents involving teenage drivers, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This drop is largely because well-rested drivers are more alert and less prone to mistakes on the road. Therefore, shifting school start times could significantly impact student safety both in and out of school.

However, implementing later start times isn’t without its challenges. One major concern is the potential disruption to family schedules and after-school activities. Parents who depend on early school start times for childcare or work commitments might find a later start inconvenient. Additionally, extracurricular activities, sports practices, and part-time jobs typically occur after school, and a later start could push these activities further into the evening, leaving less time for homework and relaxation.

Despite these challenges, many schools that have moved to later start times have found ways to manage them. Adjusting bus schedules, coordinating with local businesses, and rearranging after-school activities can help accommodate the new start times. It’s crucial to engage the community and plan thoroughly to address these logistical issues and ensure a smooth transition. By involving parents, teachers, and students in the decision-making process, schools can develop strategies that meet everyone’s needs.

In summary, the argument for later school start times is backed by extensive research highlighting the benefits for students’ health, academic performance, and safety. While there are logistical challenges to consider, the potential positive outcomes make a strong case for reevaluating school schedules. By prioritizing the well-being and success of students, communities can create a more supportive learning environment and promote the overall development of young people.

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15 Reasons Why School Should Start Earlier (Top Benefits!)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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The debate over school start times often focuses on the many reasons school should start later . However, there are plenty of debate arguments for why school should actually start earlier.

Here are 10 possible reasons why schools should stick with an earlier start time.

• Cuts transportation costs
• Gets students to school faster
• Has benefits for work schedules
• Lets districts pool resources more effectively
• Allows more free time
• Creates academic advantages
• Is safer for travel
• Allows for afterschool jobs
• Establishes a routine
• Prompts a healthy lifestyle
• There are no clear benefits of starting later
• Students don’t see their parents as much
• Allows time for after-school sports
• Negates the need for daylight savings time
• Allows teachers to do more with their day

Starting earlier has benefits for kids of all ages and serves the additional purpose of saving the school district a good amount of money. The rest of this article will discuss the benefits of starting school early.

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Reasons Why School should Start Earlier

1. early start times cost less for schools.

One of the main reasons schools haven’t instituted later start times is the associated costs.

For example, Greenwich school district conducted studies into pushing back start times after reading the evidence supporting later start times. However, they found that any scenario would lead to increased costs. Here was one key finding:

“Pushing every school’s start back by 30 minutes to 90 minutes would involve between 10 and 19 extra buses, requiring an additional outlay each year from approximately $760,000 to some $1.5 million.”

Similarly, staggered bus routes – where high schools start earlier and elementary schools stay the same – would lead to more time for the busses to complete their routes, but would increase costs for insurance, fuel, and wages for drivers.

2. Students can Skip the Traffic

As well as saving the school money on fuel, early morning start times help to avoid the traffic.

Avoiding traffic has abundant benefits. For one thing, it will mean there is less of a chance that the busses and cars will get caught in traffic jams, meaning students will theoretically turn up to class on time more often.

This does, of course, assume that students will make it to the earlier bus and not accidentally sleep in.

However, keep in mind that if everyone starts driving on the roads earlier to get their kids to school, the traffic may shift with the changes in school times, negating this benefit.

3. Has Benefits for Work Schedules

Another good benefit of starting school earlier is that it can blend more effectively with parents work schedules.

For students who can’t be left unattended, parents have to pay out of pocket for daycare or babysitting services if they leave the house well before their child is picked up for school.

An earlier start could mean that parents can get the students to school and then get on with their days – going to work, doing early shopping, and so forth.

Of course, the downside here is that an early start time may lead to an early ending time, which just pushes back the scheduling clashes into the afternoon.

4. It Lets Districts Pool Resources More Effectively

There’s always a need for good bus drivers, and sharing buses is common practice in a school district.

Unfortunately, buses are expensive to run and can only be used for one route at a time. Starting earlier in the morning, particularly for grade students, allows busses to be available for picking up students who have later start times.

If all students began at the same time, the district would need to have buses and drivers available to meet the demand for all those students at the same time.

By giving grade school students an earlier start, the rest of the district has transportation resources available for students.

However, as noted earlier, this would also be associated with higher costs for transit.

5. Allows More Free Time

Between school, jobs, and team practices, students today are swamped with work. This leads to the concept of the over-scheduled child .

While starting early might be a bit of a bummer for them, doing so ensures that they finish earlier, too, allowing them to pursue afterschool activities, manage homework, and still enjoy their free time without feeling like they have no personal time.

By giving children more free time, they may in fact get time to play, be creative, and potentially even get more sleep (Glauser, 2018).

6. You Get More into the Day

Starting early means you can fit more into your day. And while adults often burn out part-way through the day, adolescents can power through well into the afternoon.

As a result, by sending children to school early, we can get them to fit more into their days, and even potentially open up debates about having 4-day school weeks.

This reasoning is likely why schools do start so early, with 93% of high schools and over 80% of middle schools starting prior to 8:30a.m.

(Note: For a counterargument , consider the abundance of evidence showing school-age children’s brainpower is best around mid-morning – see: Dikker et al., 2020).

7. Is Safer for Travel

People advocating for later school starts often point out that sleep deprivation makes early morning driving dangerous for teenagers (Taheri & Arabameri, 2012).

While this evaluation is correct, it doesn’t consider the other side of the proverbial coin: later commutes home from work are also dangerous, especially in urban environments.

Starting school earlier may be able to give students space to drive to and from school with less traffic which could make the streets safer.

8. Allows for Afterschool Jobs

For high school students preparing for the future, an afterschool job is a major part of growing their savings early.

Schools that start earlier are usually finished in time for high school students to pick up a part time job in their local area.

Not only does a job earn them valuable money for college, but it also teaches them discipline and responsibility in a work environment.

9. Establishes a Routine

Establishing a routine is difficult as an adult, much less as a child, but for students of all ages, establishing an “early to bed, early to rise” mentality has numerous health benefits .

It enables students to mentally prepare themselves for the day and set up a routine to transition into adulthood.

Getting up early ensures that students are ready for a bed at a decent time, avoiding some risky situations often associated with detrimental behavior.

10. Prompts a Healthy Lifestyle

Schools starting earlier not only helps students establish a morning routine, but it also benefits their lifestyle as whole.

Students who adapt to getting up early, preparing for the day, and balancing their daily schedule are more prepared for adulthood.

Creating a healthy school-life balance by understanding what’s expected of them, tackling homework, and participating in extra-curricular activities translates to a healthy work-life balance in the future.

11. There’s no Clear Benefit to Starting Later

While there is some scattered evidence of making school start times later, the most extensive systematic review on this topic found there isn’t enough evidence to make start times later.

In other words, if you’re debating the topic of school start times and you’re on the side of earlier start times, make sure you argue at least the point that there’s no need to make start times later.

As Marx et al. (2017, p. 10) argue in their systematic review:

“We cannot be confident about the effects of later school start times.”

Therefore, there needs to be much clearer and far less biased studies on school start times before making school start times later.

12. Students may see their parents more

A study (Hinrichs, 2011) of schools that start later found that late start times lead to less interaction between children and their parents.

The study found:

“…later school start times may be associated with decreased morning interactions between parents and children.” (Marx et al., 2017, p. 43)

An earlier start time, on the other hand, may lead to more interaction because the parents and children will have more evening and afternoon time to spend together.

Here, the assumption is that late start times just mean the children sleep in; while early start times mean the children get up, get their day done, and then can spend some time with their families.

13. Allows time for after-school developmental activities

If school starts earlier and ends earlier, then society can start structuring after-school activities for children that allow for holistic development of children.

This may include structuring mid-afternoon sessions for children’s development in sporting, play, creative, artistic, and musical pursuits.

We could envisage a world where formal schooling ends and students go on to structured activities of their choice associated with pursuing their creative or sporting interests. This may help to raise a society that’s not just focused on academic standards, but also a more holistic experience of the diverse range of human pursuits.

14. Negates the need for daylight savings time

The rationale for daylight savings time is to allow people to have one extra hour of light in the evening during summer.

There is ample debate about the value of daylight savings time. But if students started and ended school earlier, then there wouldn’t be a need to squeeze an extra hour of sunlight into the day for children’s activities.

As a result, we can reduce one more argument about the benefits of daylight savings time.

15. Allows teachers to do more with their day

If teachers can finish their day of work by 2pm, they could schedule extra things into their afternoons.

At the moment, teachers spend their nights preparing classes for the next day. This can make their work-life balance very poor.

But if teachers finish their school day by 2pm, they can spend the next 3 hours preparing their next day’s classes and not bring school work home with them. This will increase their time with their families in the evenings.

Furthermore, as a teacher, I get frustrated that I can never book appointments at the bank or with the dentist because I am always working when they were open. But if I can get off work at 2pm, I can finally get to those appointments.

Transitioning to an early schedule can be challenging for many students, but at the end of the day, it’s often a decision made to benefit the school district as a whole.

Cutting back on transportation costs, pooling resources, and staggering busloads to and from school are some of the main reasons that schools, particularly grade schools, start so early in the morning.

Dikker, S., Haegens, S., Bevilacqua, D., Davidesco, I., Wan, L., Kaggen, L., … & Poeppel, D. (2020). Morning brain: real-world neural evidence that high school class times matter.  Social cognitive and affective neuroscience ,  15 (11), 1193-1202.

Glauser, W. (2018). Overscheduled and glued to screens—children are sleeping less than ever before. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 190 (48). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.109-5676

Hinrichs, P. (2011). When the bell tolls: The effects of school starting times on academic achievement.  Education Finance and Policy ,  6 (4), 486-507.

Marx, R., Tanner‐Smith, E. E., Davison, C. M., Ufholz, L. A., Freeman, J., Shankar, R., … & Hendrikx, S. (2017). Later school start times for supporting the education, health, and well‐being of high school students: a systematic review.  Campbell Systematic Reviews ,  13 (1), 1-99.

Taheri, M., & Arabameri, E. (2012). The effect of sleep deprivation on choice reaction time and anaerobic power of college student athletes. Asian journal of sports medicine, 3 (1), 15.

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4 thoughts on “15 Reasons Why School Should Start Earlier (Top Benefits!)”

This is so wrong on every level. 1. Sleep is known to be a very important part in learning new things. If students don’t get enough sleep, they wouldn’t be able to learn as effectively, therefore making schools much less effective than they could be. If your argument to that is “student can go to sleep earlier so they get more sleep” you are wrong for the following reasons: A. If they go to sleep earlier, they have less free time(because their day ends earlier). I don’t understand how this one fact gets ignored by literally everyone. B. Sleeping doesn’t work that way. You can’t just fall asleep whenever you want. To fall asleep, you need this hormone called melatonin. This hormone is not produced at will whenever you want to go to sleep. I guess you never understood biology, otherwise you would know that reflexive actions you body does aren’t always up to conscious decisions we make. And some people(like me) are not affected by melatonin pills. C. Insomnia is a thing that exists in some students. For people with insomnia, falling asleep is even harder than it is for most people. So unless schools want to discriminate against insomniacs, they should not expect everyone to come early. D. Since student need sleep to learn better, they probably won’t need as many lessons in each subject every week, making the school shorter(because there are less classes). Though I am not so sure that schools would notice this if it happened. 2. After-school activities would be moved forward if schools ended later. Because that’s when students would be available. In fact, those who participate would probably preform better, since they would be less tired. This seemed pretty obvious to me, but I guess you never thought about it, since you didn’t mention it. 3. Daily routines don’t have to start in the early morning, and a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to include waking up and going to be early. In fact, it’s probably unhealthy, since sleeping in the natural time when you feel tired is much better for your health than trying to force yourself to fall asleep to early and forcing yourself to wake up with an alarm clock. 4. Those who want to get up early still can, and they can have some free time in the morning before school, at home. As you can probably imagine, waking up and immediately having to get ready quickly to get to school on time is not a pleasant experience. Especially if you woke up late. So starting school later can make morning a lot less stressful.

I think these are plenty of good reasons for schools to start later. Fact: Finland’s education system is the best in the world, and they start later and end pretty quickly, so some of my points actually exist in real life, and show results.(not to say that starting late and finishing early is the main factor in Finland’s education system’s success, but that it obviously isn’t harmful to the students’ school lives, and that they don’t hate school.)

I hope you actually understood that there are plenty of good reasons to move school starting times forward, and that you understand that most people hate waking up early. Though adults do need to wake up early, the same standard should be held against children and adolescents, who’s brains are still developing and need sleep the most.

Good points Yael. The points presented in the article are possible debate points for students to critically engage with, not necessarily gospel… we also have a complementary article presenting some of your arguments against starting school earlier, that is linked to within this piece.

Thanks I needed this for my ap psych assignment

I agree. I am currently doing an assignment in school on why school start times should be changed. One of the biggest reasons I have found is that when teenagers hit puberty their body goes through something called phase delay. This is where their circadian rhythms shift back by about two hours. This means that most teenagers can’t fall asleep until 11pm.

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School Start Times Should Be Later

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Published: Mar 1, 2019

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Introduction to the debate on whether students should wear uniforms Mention of the reasons for and against school uniforms Discussion of the role of uniforms in enhancing school security Potential risks of [...]

Over the last few years, I have faced several challenges in meeting my own goals for success as a student. I have lost my father and was battling depressing for over 5 years. I had issues keeping up with my life and facing any [...]

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