Oct 5, 2018, 4:46 PM
(from the Los Angeles Times) California middle and high schools will soon be prohibited from starting classes before 8:30 a.m., a move intended to help students get more rest and better deal with stress in general. But some say the new law, which takes effect statewide within three years, should have gone further by also regulating the amount of schoolwork students must do during and beyond the school day. Studies show that students have far more homework than they used to (17.5 hours a week, according to a 2014 survey of teachers), yet the nation's Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores have been falling for years.
In a recent editorial, author and attorney Vicki Abeles wrote that for most students, "the workweek often exceeds 40 hours — the work limit we set for employed adults. Children should be afforded the same amount of time to rest and recharge as adults, if not more. Moreover, they should not be forced to choose between the sleep they need for good health and the work required to get good grades." She added that the stakes are greatest for students from underprivileged families, who often need to care for younger siblings and work after-school jobs on top of their other responsibilities.
More at the Los Angeles Times
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