Do you hate waking up early for school? Well, school start times are soon to change. As of now 50% of Florida schools start before 7:30 am. Governor Ron Desantis just signed a law preventing middle schools from starting earlier than 8 am, and high schools from starting before 8:30 am. This means that in 2026, high school students won’t start school until after 8:30. This is a great way to help students get some more sleep and be more prepared for their school day.
Concerns about this time change include cost increase and safety issues. More transportation may be needed due to the later start time, which means more buses must be purchased. Chris Doolin, a lobbyist who represents the Small School District Council Consortium, said “Right off the bat, you’re going to have elementary and younger kids at the side of the road at bus stops earlier, and there’s a safety concern there.”
According to researchers at The George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, Australia, studies suggest “that a long-term lack of sleep may not only cause immediate drowsiness at the wheel, but may affect a young driver’s judgment over time. ” Schools starting way too early is one of the causes that these teens and young adults are so tired. The researchers at The George Institute for Global Health in Sydney, found that “The people who slept the least were 21 percent more likely to have been involved in a crash than those who got more sleep”, and on the weekend those the risk was even higher, at 55%. At the end of their research they confirmed that “Less sleep per night significantly increased the risk for crash for young drivers,” the researchers wrote in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Pediatrics. These studies clearly show the effect that long term lack of sleep has on teens. Later start times could help teens be more well rested, keeping them safer on the roads.
Although changing the start times may cause some chaos since it would cost money and is a big change to students and parents, the benefits outweigh the cost. The government has set aside $5 million dollars to help these school systems adapt to the changing start times. This change will also help keep student drivers safe on the roads. The time change starts in 3 years, this gives students time to prepare.
