Early Starts Adversely Affect Learning
High school test scores track higher when students start school later in the day, at around 8:30 or 9 a.m., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and others. This startling finding was recently presented to the Board of Education by the Frederick County Public School Citizens Advisory Council (CAC).
The BOE had requested a report on school start times, and the CAC uncovered multiple surveys from school districts and medical institutions to make the case for accommodating teenagers and adolescents whose sleep patterns differ from adults.
Kyle Bostian, Chairman of the CAC Board, Peter Blood, CAC Board member and a professional researcher, and Edison Hatter, a CAC student member demonstrated how the adolescent sleep-wake cycle delayed sleep onset by two hours when the normal circadian melatonin sleep phase occurred. With a pattern of restricted sleep, adolescents are understandably experiencing morning sleepiness and difficulty waking. The effects of sleep deprivation are even more alarming.
Teenage car crashes in Fayette County, KY decreased by 16.5% over two years when school start times were delayed. This compared to a rise in crashes of 7.8% for the state as a whole. Chesterfield County, VA, with an early school start time experienced a 26.7% higher crash rate for 16-to-18-year-old drivers when compared to Henrico County with a later start time. Crashes peaked during morning commute times. Teton County, WY saw a 70% reduction in overall teen crashes after delaying high school start times. Mahtomedi County, MN saw a 65% reduction in similar circumstances.
“One additional hour of sleep is estimated to increase the probability of high school graduation on average by up to 8.6% … and the college attendance rate by 13.4%,” states a study by Hafner Stepanek, Troxel, 2017. Other sources point to the benefits of teenagers and adolescents being “easier to live with,” making fewer complaints about fatigue, or being too tired to do homework. Maryland Department of Health has conducted a study which shows better test scores in math and reading, higher attendance and increased graduation rates. Washington County, MD changed to later start times in 2003, Montgomery County, MD in 2016. Arlington, VA found delaying start times for high school students resulted in measurable academic improvement.
While the benefits of later start times for high school students are relatively clear cut, the cost to both FCPS and the community needs a closer look. The BOE has raised issues of childcare for families juggling multiple jobs and without private transportation, also teenagers who may be working after-school jobs, or participating in extra- curricular activities such as sports. Rescheduling the school district’s fleet of 400 buses would be a major undertaking, with unknown costs. The CAC had considered the current three-tier system for busing elementary, middle and high school students. After presenting several options, the recommendation was for a transition to a two-tier busing system with an elementary school day from 8 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. and a middle and high school day from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
“I don’t think we can be in the business of ignoring health and safety data,” BOE Vice President Liz Barrett said. “I have been in favor of this for years,” added Dr. April Miller. Board president, Brad Young suggested that next steps were for the BOE to absorb the information presented by the CAC and to continue discussion on start times at a work session, to which the CAC will contribute its findings to date in the form of a report.
