Dive Brief:
- A new study published in the American Academy of Sleep Medicine's publication "Sleep" says that a proven link exists between early high school start times, disciplinary problems, and tardiness for students.
- The authors of the study say that two-thirds of adolescents aren't getting enough sleep for what they call "optimal functioning," with a sleep deficit averaging out to be two hours per night. Even with a later start time, students were not getting more sleep.
- When measuring overall wellness or academic achievement, no changes were found. If students slept longer, the expectation is that their general health would improve, the report says.
Dive Insight:
The new study, yet again, has proven what most accept as fact: that school starts too early for teenage learners. Many reports have been done on this subject, including by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the new longitudinal research only serves to reinforce previous findings. There are positive emotional benefits for teens that also come with getting more sleep.
In 2013, former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan called for later-in-the-day start times. And some districts listened, enacting rules to push times back. In Seattle, as of next fall, all public high schools will open after 8:30 a.m. Other districts are moving more incrementally; Fairfax, VA, high school starting times have been pushed to 8:00 a.m.