For years, school start times have been a topic of concern among parents, educators and researchers. With early start times, students often struggle to stay awake during morning classes, leading to low performance in academics.

Lack of sleep, fatigue and stress are some of the factors responsible for this negative impact on student performance. However, recent studies have shown that a delayed start time can significantly enhance the performance, attendance, and overall well-being of students in school.

Why Early Start Times were a Problem

Early start times were set in place to align with working parents’ schedules and transportation constraints. However, this scheduling wound up causing more problems than it solved.

Students who have to wake up too early to catch a bus and begin classes by 7:30 am or earlier can struggle with getting the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep. While in class, these students may suffer from fatigue, sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and even behavioral problems such as irritability or aggression.

Partially, this can be explained by the hormonal changes that occur during adolescence, which tend to shift sleep cycles later.

Research Supporting Delayed Start Times

Research conducted over the past two decades suggests that delaying school start times can significantly improve student performance, mental and physical health outcomes.

One 2014 study found that students who started school before 8:30 am performed worse in standardized tests, and had higher rates of absenteeism compared to those who started later. Another study demonstrated that delaying start times to 8:55 am resulted in improved student performance on tests, better attendance, and fewer behavioral problems.

Other studies have found that sleepier students also run a higher risk of suffering from depression, anxiety and obesity, in turn, causing a wide range of negative health outcomes such as obesity, decreased immune function, and cognitive problems.

For example, two 2015 studies published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine linked an early-middle school start time with a higher risk for car accidents and obesity in students.

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Benefits of Delayed Start Times

So, what would be the benefit of starting school later? Here are a few:.

1. Better Sleep: Starting school later gives students additional time for rest, ensuring that they get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep. While in turn, improving their cognitive functions, boosting concentration and reducing stress.
2. Better Attendance and Punctuality: Late start times are likely to reduce absences and tardiness. When students have enough time to get enough sleep and be prepared for the school day, they’re less likely to be late or miss school completely. Moreover, fewer behavioral problems may also be linked to consistent attendance and punctuality.
3. Better Performance: With additional sleep and better attendance, students are more likely to concentrate better, recall information learned more effectively and perform better on exams and assignments.
4. Better Mental and Physical Health: Sleep-deprived students can run a higher risk of suffering from depression, anxiety, and obesity, which in turn causes a wide range of negative health outcomes. However, late start times can improve overall health by allowing students more time to rest.
5. Better Emotional Regulation: When students are better rested, they are more likely to be better able to regulate their emotions and responses to stressors and more able to engage in constructive problem-solving behavior in the face of difficulties or stress.

Controversies of Delayed Start Times

Despite research showing the benefits of delayed school start times, some people still believe that an earlier start time is better for students.

One of the key reasons is that many families rely on the early start time to make after-school arrangements for their children—such as sports or jobs—and might struggle to adapt to later start times. Furthermore, later start times for school may also mean later end times, which can intrude on family time and extracurricular activities.

How Schools Can Implement Delayed Start Times

If schools decide to implement delayed start times, many factors need to be considered.

School districts might assess the local public transportation schedule, how individual families to adapt to later start times, and whether teachers can adjust their schedules to accommodate later start times.

One way schools can make a gradual integration of start time changes can be to implement one hour or less each school year. This can help students and parents adjust to the new schedule gradually.

Schools can also explore additional programs or services to ensure that students have somewhere to stay after school or to participate in extracurricular activities. Schools could also offer transportation services for families who might struggle to make the adjustments themselves.

Conclusion

In conclusion, research suggests that delayed school start times can significantly improve student performance and mental and physical health outcomes.

However, there remain significant obstacles to making implementations to start times, including issues with extracurricular activities, transportation, and family schedules. Nevertheless, by giving more time for rest, late start times may help students be more present, concentrate better, and take in more information during class.