Oct 24, 2019, 2:51 PM
(From Los Angeles Times) The question of whether to push back school start times has lingered for years. Now, California will become the first state in the nation to mandate later start times at most middle schools and high schools under legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The law, backed by The American Academy of Pediatrics, was designed to improve educational outcomes by giving students more sleep. The pediatric's group points to studies that found links between more sleep from later start times and better school performance, and better health, among adolescents. "Our children face a public health crisis. Shifting to a later start time will improve academic performance and save lives because it helps our children be healthier," said Sen. Anthony Porantino, author of the legislation.
The law will take effect over a phased-in period, allowing three years for schools and school districts to plan and implement these changes. Opponents had argued that the change could affect bus routes and result in higher district costs, and teachers unions generally argued that decisions about the appropriate time to begin classes should be determined at the local level. The phase-in period allows schools that have recently negotiated agreements or are in the midst of negotiating new agreements with teachers have the option of adjusting to the later times when their contracts end.
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