A New Law for Delayed School Start Times and More Sleep for Students
The new education system to be introduced in 2022
Are you ready to hit the snooze button on a weekday morning? In 2022, students will have numerous opportunities to hit the snooze button. On October 13, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law that changes start times for middle and high schools throughout the state. The new law excludes rural school districts but will impact start times for public and charter schools. Middle school students will begin the school day no earlier than 8:oo a.m. and high school students will begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
The new law delays start times in school. The result is intending to help students increase sleep to an average of eight to twelve hours nightly, which will improve productivity, health, and academic grades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, and problems with attention and behavior.” More sleep in the mornings will help boost student productivity and class participation. A study at the University of Minnesota showed that schools with later start times improve academic performance. According to the website Master of Arts in Teaching Guide, “School districts that experimented with later start times found that students cope with academic workloads much better. The study of 9,000 high school students found that grades, test scores and overall performance in core subjects advanced significantly when school start times were switched to later hours.” More productivity, better health, and improved academic grades are just a few of the benefits resulting from more sleep.
The new law can also contribute to a reduction in teenage car accidents. The Rand Blog states that “About 1 in 10 car crashes are due to drowsy driving, and young, less experienced drivers, and between the ages of 16–24, who account for more than 50 percent of accidents. A 2012 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that being sleepy at the wheel carried almost as much risk as alcohol ingestion… Teenagers are among the highest risk groups in the U.S. for being sleep-deprived. Only about 10 percent get the roughly nine hours of sleep per night that their bodies need to function optimally. Many factors contribute to adolescent sleep loss: busy social lives, homework, excessive use of technology, and early school start times.” The later start times in 2022 will help students who are sleep-deprived get a few extra minutes of sleep and a chance to hit the snooze button. The only risk is that students might misuse this law and go to bed at later start times.
Just thirty extra minutes in the morning can change a student’s routine. Students will have more time to eat breakfast, perhaps get some work done, or better organize for the day, ensuring they have all their school materials packed up. Most kids eat an unhealthy breakfast or skip this meal. Since breakfast is considered one of the most important meals of the day, the additional time allows students to eat before starting the school day. For early risers, the extra minutes will provide time in the morning to finish homework. The added time in the morning lets students check their bag again, to prevent leaving something at home. Other positives for a later start time are taking advantage of daylight savings and road safety. Students will not have to drive or wait for the bus when it is still dark outside, keeping them safer. Later start times also result in reduced tardiness. Students with sleep deprivation have been shown to experience physical challenges like lethargy and headaches, that may cause a student to miss school.
Some may argue that later start times can put more strain on students, their families, and even teachers. With later start times, the school day is extended, which will cause parents to reconsider after-school arrangements. Older siblings may not be available to babysit younger children. This may limit the opportunities for high school students to participate in extracurricular activities, tutoring, or social gatherings. For example, athletes who play outdoor sports such as football and soccer will have shorter practices because of later dismissals.
Later start times have many advantages for students. In 2022, students will test the new law as middle and high school students hit the snooze button and benefit from 30 extra minutes before heading out to school. Studies have shown that students are more productive, less sleep-deprived, have better academic performance, fewer tardies, fewer road accidents, and extra minutes in the morning.
Therefore, be ready to snooze away in 2022.
