Should High Schools Start Later?

It has been an ongoing argument throughout many districts and counties that high schools everywhere should start later. Some high school campuses set the first-period bell to ring at 8:00 am, while some schools start as early as 7 am. A major key factor in what time school starts is determined by what time they end, but regardless there are multiple arguments supporting why high school students should be permitted to come in much later than they do now. 

Not getting enough sleep at night is one of the most common things among high school students all over the world. Swamped in homework, studying, social lives, arts, and music, as well as the demanding schedule of athletics, plays a serious role in adolescents’ physical health. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that high school students start times should not begin until 8:30 am. Studies that were done and surveys completed showed that schools that started later had higher test scores than schools which started earlier in the morning. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that students ages 13-18 should get at least 8-10 hours of sleep. Students that do not reach the amount of sleep needed to tend to: 

• Be overweight 
• Not engage in physical activities 
• Suffer from depression 
• Engage in unhealthy risks such as vaping, smoking, drinking, and using illicit drugs 
• Performing poorly in school 

As for Pottsgrove Senior High School, our first-period bell rings at 7:30, and we get dismissed at 2:17. Although it doesn’t look like our bell times will be made any later, getting enough sleep and making sure that homework is completed to avoid stress is a huge benefit to making sure school is as enjoyable as humanly possible. 

SOURCES: https://www.cdc.gov/features/school-start-times/index.html