school days should start later essay

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Exploring the Evidence: 7 Comprehensive Reasons Why School Should Start Later for Enhanced Student Well-being and Academic Success

The debate on the optimal timing for school start times has gained considerable momentum, presenting compelling reasons why school should start later. This growing consensus among educators, parents, and researchers highlights the profound benefits such a shift could have on student health and academic performance.

Traditionally, schools have adhered to an early morning schedule, a routine that is increasingly viewed as misaligned with adolescent physiological rhythms and conducive to chronic sleep deprivation. This discrepancy between school schedules and the natural sleep patterns of teenagers has sparked a significant reevaluation of how educational institutions can best support the developmental and learning needs of their students.

Advocating for later start times is not merely a call for more sleep; it represents a holistic approach to enhancing the educational environment by optimizing the physical and mental well-being of students. The argument for delayed start times is supported by a wealth of research indicating improvements in various areas of student life, including academic achievement, mental health, and physical wellness.

Reasons why School should Start Later in the Morning: – Better for students sleep and attendance – Don’t need to stay up as late to do homework because you can do it in the morning — Pisha 🍉 ⪩⚢⪨ Et Le Ena Piou (@mafuanenautism)  September 30, 2022

However, transitioning to a later schedule also presents logistical challenges and potential drawbacks, such as impacts on extracurricular activities, family routines, and community infrastructure, which must be thoughtfully addressed.

This article embarks on a comprehensive examination of the subject, exploring the multifaceted benefits of starting school later, the considerations and challenges that come with such a change, and the real-world implications as evidenced by initiatives like those undertaken by the Seattle School District. Through this analysis, we aim to provide a balanced perspective on why the shift towards later school start times could represent a significant step forward in fostering environments that truly cater to the needs and potentials of our young learners.

On this page, you will discover:

• The Benefits of Starting School Later →
• The Potential Drawbacks of Starting School Later →
• The Impact of Delayed School Start Times in Seattle School District →

7 Reasons Why School Should Start Later

Wendy Troxel attributes the lack of sufficient sleep among teens not to Snapchat, social lives, or hormones, but to public policy, specifically early school start times, and shares insights from her dual perspective as a sleep researcher and a mother in a must-watch video on how this affects adolescents during a crucial stage of their lives.

Now, let’s delve into the compelling reasons why school should start later, exploring seven key factors that highlight the benefits of adjusting school schedules for the betterment of student health, engagement, and academic performance.

1. Improves Academic Performance

Adequate sleep is essential for adolescents, who are at a pivotal stage of development and learning. The evidence linking sufficient rest to improved academic outcomes is compelling, suggesting that later school start times could play a key role in enhancing students’ educational achievements.

The correlation between adequate sleep and enhanced academic performance is well-documented. Studies by organizations such as the National Sleep Foundation underscore the critical role sleep plays in cognitive functions, including memory retention, focus, and decision-making processes. Adolescents, who are in a crucial phase of brain development, particularly benefit from extended sleep, as it directly influences their ability to learn and excel academically.

A later school start time aligns with their natural sleep cycles, allowing for a more alert and engaged mindset during school hours. This alignment not only fosters an environment conducive to learning but also translates into tangible outcomes such as higher test scores and grade improvements. Consequently, the shift to later start times could serve as a strategic approach to bolster academic success, addressing educational priorities and student well-being in tandem.

Why It Is Important

• Academic success is key for future opportunities, shaping higher education and career paths.
• Enhanced performance from later start times correlates with better cognitive functions: memory, attention, and problem-solving.
• Quality sleep, aligned with circadian rhythms, leads to deeper, more restorative rest, essential for learning and memory.
• Alert, focused students are more likely to actively participate and retain information.
• Benefits individual students and contributes to a positive, productive learning environment.
• Later start times are a strategic approach to enhance educational outcomes and prepare students for success.

Discover in this video how mastering healthy sleep habits can serve as a genuine performance enhancer in the classroom, leading to better sleep and higher GPAs for students.

2. Allows Teens to Get More Sleep

The mismatch between teenagers’ biological clocks and early school schedules is a significant barrier to their health and well-being. Recognizing the critical importance of sleep for this age group underlines the need for adjustments in school start times to support their developmental needs.

Adopting later school start times harmonizes with teenagers’ biological clocks, addressing the mismatch between early school schedules and adolescents’ sleep needs. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations highlight the importance of adequate sleep for teenagers, a demographic often burdened by early start times and societal pressures that encroach on their sleep duration. This shift not only ensures they meet the optimal sleep quota but also enhances their overall health and cognitive function.

The benefits extend beyond the mere number of hours slept; the quality of sleep improves, fostering better mental, emotional, and physical health. This holistic improvement in well-being is crucial during adolescence, a period marked by significant growth and development challenges.

• Adequate sleep is crucial for teenagers’ physical and mental development, supporting growth, immune response, and emotional regulation.
• Recommended sleep leads to fewer behavioral issues and improved decision-making.
• Important during adolescence, a time of significant development.
• Sufficient sleep is linked to better mood regulation and reduced risk-taking.
• Schools can help teens get the necessary sleep, promoting academic success and well-being.
• Recognizes the link between physical health, mental health, and academic achievement.

Behavioral and social scientist Wendy Troxel explains how early school start times essentially cause daily jetlag for students and advocates for a change in their morning routines in a compelling video worth watching.

3. Reduces Absenteeism

Healthier students are more likely to attend school consistently, underscoring the impact of sleep on immune function and overall wellness. By adapting school schedules to allow for more sleep, educators can directly contribute to reducing absenteeism and enhancing the learning environment.

Later school start times contribute to a healthier student body, which directly impacts attendance rates. Sleep deprivation compromises the immune system, making students more susceptible to illness and, consequently, more likely to miss school. By ensuring that students get sufficient rest, schools can see a reduction in absenteeism.

This not only benefits students’ academic performance and continuity of learning but also contributes to a more vibrant, participatory school environment. Improved health outcomes due to adequate sleep thus serve as a preventive measure against common ailments, ensuring that students remain present and engaged in their educational journey.

• Regular attendance is essential for continuous learning and success.
• Each missed day is a lost opportunity for learning and interaction.
• Absenteeism creates knowledge gaps, affecting confidence and curriculum engagement.
• Reducing absenteeism with later start times ensures full participation in education.
• Improves academic outcomes, social integration, and school connectedness.
• Alleviates administrative and teaching challenges, leading to a more efficient educational process.

Matt Pearl explores how what seems like a harmless day off can quickly escalate into habitual truancy, and highlights one school district’s innovative plan to combat this issue and refill empty seats in a must-see video.

4. Lowers Risk of Depression and Mental Health Issues

The crucial relationship between sleep and mental health, particularly in adolescents, cannot be overstated. Addressing sleep deprivation through later school start times is a preventative measure that could significantly improve students’ mental health outcomes.

The interplay between sleep and mental health is critical, especially during the volatile adolescent years. Inadequate sleep has been consistently linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. By shifting school start times later, students are afforded the opportunity to align their sleep schedules with their biological needs, significantly mitigating these risks.

This preventive approach to mental health is of paramount importance, considering the rising incidence of mental health challenges among teenagers. Providing an environment that supports adequate sleep can be a fundamental strategy in promoting mental well-being, offering a buffer against the stressors and challenges of adolescence.

• Mental health’s critical role in students’ well-being and success is undeniable, with adolescence being a particularly vulnerable period for the onset of issues like depression and anxiety. Sleep deprivation significantly exacerbates these conditions.
• Ensuring adequate sleep is foundational for robust mental health, enabling students to better manage stress and the myriad challenges of adolescence with greater resilience.
• Schools that implement later start times contribute to a proactive approach to mental health care, leading to a noticeable reduction in the incidence and severity of mental health issues among students.
• This initiative fosters a supportive educational environment where every aspect of student well-being is nurtured, promoting a healthy school climate conducive to learning and growth.

William Brangham delves into why many teens struggle to get the recommended eight to ten hours of sleep, the prevalence of insomnia among them, and the significant impact on their mental health in this insightful video.

Delve into the critical role of mental health in educational success with “ 8 Reasons Why Students Should Have Mental Health Days: A Research-Based Analysis ” offering evidence-based arguments for the integration of mental health days into school policies to enhance student well-being and academic performance.

5. Reduces Drowsy Driving in Teens

With the initiation of driving coinciding with the teenage years, the risk of drowsy driving becomes a pressing concern. Adjusting school start times to ensure teenagers get enough sleep could be a critical step in enhancing road safety and reducing accidents.

Teenage years coincide with the commencement of driving for many, introducing risks associated with drowsy driving. The CDC has identified sleep deprivation as a key factor in teen driving accidents. By enabling teens to align their sleep schedules with natural rhythms through later school start times, the incidence of drowsy driving can be significantly reduced.

This has the dual benefit of enhancing individual safety and contributing to broader public safety outcomes. Preventing accidents through such measures not only saves lives but also fosters a culture of responsible driving habits among young individuals.

• The safety of teenage drivers is a paramount concern, with drowsy driving posing a significant risk not just to the drivers but to the community at large. The alertness of drivers is crucial and is directly influenced by the amount of sleep they have received.
• By pushing school start times later, we can mitigate the risk of accidents caused by sleep deprivation, significantly enhancing public safety and specifically safeguarding teenage drivers, who are often less experienced and more vulnerable on the road.
• This measure not only prioritizes the health and safety of students but also contributes to the broader goal of ensuring safer roads and communities.

Explore the findings of a new study on teen drivers and the risks of drowsy driving in this informative video recommended for viewing.

6. Helps Teens Feel Happier

Sleep deprivation negatively impacts adolescents’ mood and overall happiness. Schools that adopt later start times can help align students’ schedules with their natural sleep patterns, fostering improved well-being and a more positive school experience.

Aligning school schedules with teenagers’ natural sleep cycles can significantly enhance their overall happiness and well-being. The dissonance between early school start times and adolescents’ biological predisposition for later sleep and wake patterns can lead to chronic sleep deprivation , affecting mood and well-being.

By adopting later start times, schools can help rectify this misalignment, allowing students to adhere to a more natural sleep schedule. This adjustment can lead to improved mood, greater resilience, and a more positive outlook on life, which are crucial for healthy adolescent development and academic success.

• The well-being and happiness of students are essential for their active engagement and enjoyment of their educational journey. Students who are well-rested show a marked increase in engagement, curiosity, and motivation.
• By aligning school start times with teens’ natural sleep cycles, there’s a significant improvement in students’ overall mood and outlook on life, which in turn enhances their social relationships and reduces conflict.
• This positive adjustment has been linked to not only a more vibrant school environment but also to tangible improvements in academic performance, demonstrating the deep interconnectedness between emotional well-being and educational outcomes.

Discover how a high school in Dedham, Massachusetts is combating student feelings of hopelessness with an innovative course on finding happiness through savoring experiences and fostering relationships in this inspiring video.

7. Reduced Stress

The stress induced by early mornings and lack of sleep can significantly affect students’ academic and social lives. By moving the start of the school day later, schools can alleviate a major source of daily stress, contributing to a healthier, more conducive learning environment.

The impact of sleep on stress levels cannot be overstated. Starting school later can significantly reduce the morning rush, a source of daily stress for many students. This reduction in stress can have a domino effect on various aspects of students’ lives, including their academic performance, social interactions, and overall mental health.

By mitigating one of the many stressors in students’ lives, schools can create a more supportive and productive learning environment. The benefits of such a change extend beyond the individual, positively affecting the school culture and community at large.

• Stress stands as a formidable barrier to both learning and mental health, with its ability to impair cognitive function and negatively affect academic performance. The rush and pressure of early mornings contribute significantly to students’ stress levels.
• Adopting a later start to the school day offers students a schedule that is more in sync with their natural sleep patterns, effectively reducing morning stress and allowing for a calmer, more focused start to their academic activities.
• This reduction in stress is beneficial not only for students’ academic performance but also for their mental and physical health, contributing to a more positive, supportive, and productive educational environment.

Discover why starting school later could help teens get the more sleep they need and improve their lives in various ways in this video, addressing common concerns about sleep needs for younger people.

Discover “ 7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives ” for a comprehensive analysis of the homework debate, presenting alternative strategies to improve student learning.

The Potential Drawbacks of Starting School Later

1. scheduling sports and extracurriculars becomes more difficult.

The integration of later school start times presents a unique set of challenges for the scheduling of sports and extracurricular activities, which are vital components of a student’s holistic development. The shift could potentially disrupt the delicate balance between academic commitments and extracurricular engagement, affecting students’ ability to participate in these valuable experiences.

One potential drawback of starting school later is the complication it introduces to scheduling sports and extracurricular activities. Many students are actively involved in after-school programs, including sports teams, clubs, and other organizations that play a significant role in their development. This presents a clear argument for why school should not start later, as it could lead to conflicts with extracurricular activities that depend on fixed schedules. This can result in logistical challenges for both students and program coordinators, potentially causing students to miss out on opportunities that contribute to their growth beyond academics.

In response to this challenge, schools and communities can adapt by rethinking and possibly reinventing the scheduling and structure of extracurricular activities. Flexibility in planning, such as holding some activities in the morning or making more efficient use of weekends, can ensure students continue to benefit from these programs. Moreover, a later start time might actually enhance student participation and performance in extracurriculars, as students would be better rested and more focused, potentially leading to a richer extracurricular experience.

2. Increases Childcare Costs and Logistical Challenges for Working Parents

Transitioning to later school start times poses significant logistical and financial challenges for working parents, necessitating adjustments in childcare arrangements and potentially disrupting daily routines. This change can introduce added stress and financial burden on families, complicating the work-life balance that is crucial for the well-being of both parents and students.

The shift to later school start times can increase childcare costs and create logistical challenges for working parents. Parents may find themselves needing to arrange for additional morning care or adjust their work schedules to accommodate the change. This can add financial strain and complicate the balance between work and family life, creating stress and potentially impacting the overall well-being of families.

However, the community and employers can play a crucial role in easing this transition. Workplaces could offer more flexible working hours or remote work options to accommodate the needs of parents. Additionally, schools and community organizations might develop affordable before-school programs to support families. This approach not only addresses the logistical and financial concerns but also fosters a community-centric solution that benefits both students and their families.

3. May Make After-School Jobs and Activities More Difficult

Adjusting school hours to start later in the day could inadvertently impact students’ ability to engage in after-school jobs and activities, critical for their personal development and financial support. This shift may limit the time available for such commitments, posing challenges for students who depend on the afternoon and early evening hours for work and extracurricular participation.

For students who rely on after-school jobs for income or participate in non-school activities, a later dismissal time can significantly reduce the available hours for work and other commitments. This could affect their ability to support themselves or their families financially and limit their engagement in valuable community or personal development activities.

On the flip side, a later start time can lead to more alert and productive students, potentially making them more efficient in balancing work, activities, and school responsibilities. Schools and local businesses could collaborate to offer flexible working arrangements for students, recognizing the mutual benefits of supporting adolescent development while maintaining their contribution to the workforce and community engagement.

4. Reduces Time for Homework and Family Activities

A later dismissal time from school may compress the window available for homework, relaxation, and family time, essential components of a student’s well-being and academic success. This reduction in available time during the evening can increase stress and limit opportunities for meaningful family interaction and adequate academic preparation.

With a later end to the school day, students might find themselves with less time for homework, relaxation, and family activities in the evening. This compression of non-school hours could lead to increased stress, less downtime, and diminished family interaction, which are all important for a student’s well-being and academic success. Uncover persuasive reasons against adopting year-round schooling in “ Comprehensive Analysis: 8 Strong Reasons Why School Should Not Be Year-Round ” highlighting its possible effects on both students and educators.

This challenge necessitates a more efficient approach to homework and after-school time management, potentially encouraging schools to reassess the volume and nature of homework assigned. With strategic planning and support, students can learn to manage their time effectively, ensuring they have sufficient opportunities for both academic responsibilities and family engagement. Additionally, the quality of family time can improve when students are less stressed and more rested, making the time spent together more meaningful.

The Impact of Delayed School Start Times in Seattle School District

In the 2016-2017 academic year, the Seattle School District embarked on a pioneering initiative to address the chronic sleep deprivation affecting its secondary school students. Recognizing the mounting evidence on the importance of adequate sleep for adolescents’ physical, and mental health, and academic performance, the district made a decisive move to delay the start times of its secondary schools from 7:50 am to 8:45 am. This change was aimed at aligning school schedules more closely with students’ biological sleep needs, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and academic outcomes.

Researchers from the University of Washington seized this opportunity to conduct a comprehensive study, both before and after the implementation of the new start times. Their research included students from two public high schools in Seattle, providing a valuable case study on the impacts of such policy changes.

The findings, published in Science Advances, revealed significant benefits stemming from the later start times. On average, students gained an additional 34 minutes of sleep per night, increasing their total nightly sleep from six hours and 50 minutes to seven hours and 24 minutes. This increase brought students closer to achieving the recommended sleep amount and marked a reversal in the century-long trend of gradual sleep loss among adolescents.

The benefits of this policy change extended beyond just improved sleep duration:

• Improved Sleep Duration: The policy change led to longer sleep times for students.
• Enhanced Academic Performance: Observations showed a significant increase in students’ academic achievements.
• Increased Punctuality and Attendance: Notably higher rates of on-time arrivals and attendance, especially in economically disadvantaged schools.
• Narrowing Socioeconomic Learning Gap: The change suggests the potential to reduce disparities in educational outcomes between low and high socioeconomic groups.
• Reduced Daytime Sleepiness: Students experienced less sleepiness during the day, indicating better sleep quality and its positive effect on daily engagement and functioning.

Dr. Tara Narula reports on a Seattle school district that transitioned to a later start time, showcasing the positive outcomes of the study, making it a highly recommended video to watch for insights on the impact of such changes.

Despite the success observed in Seattle, such shifts in school start times remain relatively rare across the United States, where the typical start time still hovers around 8 a.m. However, the Seattle School District’s experience stands as a compelling testament to the benefits of later start times, supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ advocacy for this change as an effective countermeasure to the widespread issue of sleep deprivation among teenagers.

The Seattle School District’s initiative demonstrates a proactive approach to student health and education, providing valuable insights and evidence for other districts contemplating similar adjustments. By prioritizing the sleep needs of students, the district not only improved their academic and health outcomes but also set a precedent for the importance of aligning educational policies with scientific research on adolescent well-being.

Useful Resources

• Time Management Activities For High School Students
• Daily Routine For Students: Recommendations And Techniques
• How to Reduce Student Stress and Excel in School

Final Thoughts

The conversation surrounding delayed school start times is complex, yet the evidence, especially from the Seattle School District, provides clear reasons why school should start later, highlighting the potential for significant positive changes in student well-being and academic success. As education stakeholders consider the future of school schedules, balancing the advantages with logistical concerns will be crucial. Ultimately, the goal is to create educational environments that best support the development and achievement of every student.

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Simona Johnes is the visionary being the creation of our project. Johnes spent much of her career in the classroom working with students. And, after many years in the classroom, Johnes became a principal.

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student opinion

Should Your School Day Start Later?

If it did, would students get more sleep? Or would they just stay up later?

By Shannon Doyne

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Do you get enough sleep during the school year? If not, what keeps you from being well rested?

Do you wish your school day started later? In your opinion, what would be the advantages and drawbacks of a later start time?

In “ California Tells Schools to Start Later, Giving Teenagers More Sleep, ” Christine Hauser and Isabella Kwai write about a new California law that pushes back start times at most public middle and high schools. The law cites research that says attendance and performance will improve if teenagers get more sleep. The article states:

The passage of the law followed years of mounting calls for later school start times from sleep experts who said such a move would optimize learning, reduce tardiness and contribute to overall well-being. The law encourages districts to publish research on their websites about the impact of sleep deprivation on adolescents. A frequently cited policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, made in 2014, called insufficient sleep for adolescents a “public health issue” and recommended that most schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine agreed. In one 2006 poll from the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of adolescents in the United States said they slept for an insufficient length of time on school nights, and 19 percent of students said they fell asleep in school at least once a week. Another study, published in 2017 by the University of Minnesota, which surveyed 9,000 students across five school districts with varying start times, found that those who started school later slept more. Students who had more sleep reported better mental health outcomes and less use of substances like alcohol and cigarettes. Students who slept more also had improved attendance and enrollment rates, and they were less likely to drive while drowsy. About 90 percent of high schools and 80 percent of middle schools in the nation start before 8:30 a.m., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2014.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Do you feel like you get enough sleep?

What would be your ideal time to start the school day? What about to end the school day? Why?

How would changing your school’s start and end times affect activities like sports, clubs and part-time jobs?

Anthony J. Portantino, a Democratic state senator who wrote the bill, calls later start times for schools a “magic bullet” when it comes to education. What are your thoughts on this? Can later start times really improve things like test scores, attendance and graduation rates? Explain.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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Persuasive Essay About Why School Should Start Later

Table of contents:

• Introduction
• Body paragraphs

It’s one of the favoured topics among high school students. You’re tired. After being up late last night, your school day started at 8:30 am this morning, and you want to know if anything can be done about it. Or perhaps you’re an early bird and like the time that school starts in the morning. Well, you can write a persuasive essay, and maybe if it’s good enough, your voice will be heard, either way.

Start off by taking a firm stance with your thesis statement. Whether you feel school should start later in the morning, or should not, you need to figure out why, and the reasons and benefits (or negatives) in your own mind, first of all. Make a quick outline with your statement of purpose at the top, followed by each point you want to make and the evidence you are going to use to support each point. Remember that you can use any evidence you like in a persuasive essay; it need not be restricted to facts and figures, but can be anecdotal, emotive, or statistical. Think of yourself as a politician trying to persuade an audience to vote for him or her.

Introduction examples

Pro: It’s been proven in many studies that teenagers do better with a later start to the day. With this in mind, why do we still start school at 8:30 in the morning?

Con: Starting later in the day at school interferes with parents’ working days, encourages students to stay up late, and would cause problems with after-school practices for sports.

Moving on into the body of your essay, carry on following your outline, setting up each point and presenting your evidence as you go. Have a look at potential titles, too, which should be reflective of your thesis statement.

Body paragraphs examples

Pro: Teenagers in high school should start at about 10 am. This would allow for a leisurely morning, making the day start off less fraught and stressful. A teenager could stay up until midnight or 1 am and still get a decent amount of sleep, which doesn’t happen when they have to wake up at 6:30 or 7 am. Traffic, too, will be more spread out, easing congestion, and students can take the time to get a good breakfast and be really mentally prepared for the day.

Con: Parents worry about getting themselves to work on time even when school starts at 8:30. A lot of working days would have to change significantly for people to get to work on time if high school started at 10 am instead. This could lead to large amounts of business disruption, and possible discrimination against parents for needing more flexible working hours.

Your conclusion is your last chance to leave an impression on your audience, so make it significant and meaningful. Start by briefly reiterating what your points were, and finish with a bang by calling on your audience to take some action in response to your essay.

Conclusion examples

Pro: Starting later results in benefits for teachers, benefits for students, and also for parents. Think about how rested you’d feel if you had a full eight hours or more sleep each night, and how much more you could get done in your day.

Con: A later school start will throw Australian cities into chaos and maybe even cause some parents to face consequences at work. The way things are now is fine, and there’s no need to fix what isn’t broken.

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Persuasive Essay on Why School Should Start Later in the Day

Did you know starting school’s even as little as one hour later can improve not only students academic performance but also their physical health?. Sleep is vital to everyone, it's needed equally as much as eating, drinking and even breathing. How else are we as Students meant to recover from all the exhaustion -both physical and mental- the school day brings us?. By starting School one hour later, you’re helping provide students with a sufficient amount of sleep to get them through the school day. In this essay, I will aim to provide enough sufficient evidence that a later start to the school day would improve not only the physical health of students but also their mental health as well as their academic success and improve their sleep schedule. 

Within This Paragraph, I will argue that the physical health and wellbeing of students can improve by starting the school day later. During Sleep, our bodies remain engaged in order to repair, heal and build it's tissue and muscle. When our bodies lack the amount of sleep required, our bodies compromise it’s capability to do it's job accurately. Teenagers are at significatly greater risk for lots of health issues including Type 2 Diabetes, obesity as well as injuries due to drowsiness and high blood pressure when suffering from sleep deprivation as the lack of sleep puts additional stress on the body and can influence the bodies hormone levels. Due to this, bodies have decreased immune function and increased inflammation. Students chances of experiencing these horrible effects significantly decrease by allowing them to have more sleep in the morning. Research by an OU academic has found that teenagers between the ages of 13-16 who started school at 10am, had improved health. The research, published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience today (8 December 2017), found that after the 10am school start, student absences due to sickness dropped by over 50%.

Furthermore, You can also see that mental health and wellbeing also improves by starting schools later as the amount of sleep a person gets directly affects their mood for instance when young people achieve their necessary amount of sleep they display an enhanced capability to endure and manage the stress in their lives adequately. In comparison to when they’re sleep deprived, They usually endure mood swings more often. They’re levels of attention and behaviour related issues rise as well as their irritability levels. In a study from 2018, researchers investigated the correlation between sleep and mental health in 690 teenagers. Their Study concluded that those with sleep problems struggled much more with mental health problems than those who got sufficent rest regularly.

Additionally, Students also have higher chances of academic success. After getting a sufficient amount of sleep, you’re more alert and are able to make more decisions which allows you to comprehend and absorb new information easier. Whilst sleep deprivation can negatively affect brain development and function. Implementing a later start to the school day allows students to start the day more refreshed and better equipped to handle to school day ahead. Therefore, They’re significantly less likely to fall asleep whilst in class and can focus their attention on their assignments when they’ve arrived home from school rather than resting  and rejuvenate their energy. In 2017, a study was conducted to look into the relationship between school start times and academic performance. Students were observed before and after the 70 minute time difference was put into effect, and researchers found academic success improved significantly after pushing the school start time. From a study, behavioural sleep specialist Dr. Alicia Roth observed, Start times were at 8:50AM for a year, 10AM for two years, then switched back to 8:50 AM. Changing to a 10AM start times created positive differences in students’ health and academic performance, which went back to baseline levels when the schools start time changed back to it's originial start time.

To Finalize my argument that schools should start later, Meeting the necessary amount of sleep is essential for legitimate functioning, mood and cognition. Starting School later allows students to rest more during the mornings and possibly diminish daytime sleepiness. It also means students can follow their natural sleep schedule - going to sleep after 11 pm and waking up around 8 or 9 am. Sufficient sleep times give the body more time to repair and restore itself, benefiting the immune system, muscle recovery, athletic performance, and reducing sleepiness during the day. This evidence suggests that starting classes later means students would have more time to get much-needed rest. In 2018, schools in Seattle pushed the starting times back for their middle and high schools by one hour. Researchers at the University of Washington closely monitored their sleep schedules using wrist activity monitors. The moinitors measured how much sleep the students were getting each night compared to night before. They found that the students went to bed at the same time but they stayed asleep for longer

In Conclusion, I have proven the amount of sleep a person gets directly affects their physical and mental health, academic success and sleep schedule. By implementing a later start to the school day, Teenagers are at lower risk for lots of health issues including Type 2 Diabetes and obesity along with mental health issues such as mood swings and would actually help them manage their stress better. Starting School later allows students to rest more during the mornings and possibly diminish daytime sleepiness. Students also have higher chances of academic success as they can comprehend and retain the information easier.

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Let’s learn about why schools should start later.

Most U.S. high schools start before 8:30 a.m. — too early, according to experts

When school times start later, teens tend to feel better and do better in school.

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By Maria Temming

January 17, 2023 at 6:30 am

One of the hardest things about going back to school after a break is waking up for it. And unfortunately, many schools start too early, according to scientific experts.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says that middle and high schools shouldn’t start before 8:30 a.m. That’s because as people go through puberty, their internal clocks naturally shift . It becomes hard for them to nod off before 11:00 p.m. But teens still need an average of nine hours of sleep per night. So, when they have to get up before the sun peeks over the horizon, they miss out on crucial shut-eye.

Dozing in class is only the most visible of problems cause by this lack of sleep. That sleep now lost to early alarm clocks is vital for helping the body grow and heal from illness or injuries. The brain also loses out on time to process memories. Sleepy teens are more likely to feel anxious or depressed, as well as use drugs or alcohol. And sleeping in on weekends is no replacement for lost zzz’s during the week. Binge-sleeping poses its own health risks .

Some schools have shifted their start times to later in the morning. Researchers are now tracking the impacts. It seems that teens who start school later do get more sleep. They’re more likely to get to class on time and stay awake during the day. They even seem to do better in school .

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Starting schools later leads to less tardiness, fewer ‘zombies’ With extra sleep, teens are less likely to oversleep or feel tired every day, data show. (10/5/2021) Readability: 6.9

Later school starts linked to better teen grades Low-income students also may find it easier to get to school with later start times. (2/5/2019) Readability: 6.7

Survey finds U.S. schools start ‘too early ’ Majority of U.S. public middle and high schools start before 8:30 a.m. (9/10/2015) Readability: 6.0

Explore more

Scientists Say: Circadian

Scientists Say: Melatonin

Explainer: The teenage body clock

Let’s learn about sleep

The steady creep of less sleep

Study links weight to when the school bell rings

Early school starts can turn teens into ‘zombies’

Surprise! Exam scores benefit from months of regular sleep

You may not be able to control when your school starts. But you can try to get the most shuteye — and the most out of it — possible. Find out how healthy your sleep schedule is by  keeping a sleep diary . Track when you wake up and go to bed, as well as daytime activities that can affect sleep — such as exercise, drinking caffeine and napping. This can help you find out whether any part of your daily routine might be making it harder to get enough sleep. Plus, check out these  tips for improving your “sleep hygiene.”

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Why school should start later for teens

• social change
• personal growth

What new research tells us about elementary and middle school start times

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, kevin c. bastian and kevin c. bastian research associate professor - unc chapel hill, director - epic @kevin_c_bastian sarah crittenden fuller sarah crittenden fuller research associate professor - unc-chapel hill and epic @sarahcfuller1.

March 23, 2023

Every morning, K-12 students across the country wake up and prepare for another day of school. While students’ morning routines may look similar everywhere—eating breakfast, getting dressed, scrambling to finish homework assignments—the time school starts varies considerably across schools. This seemingly simple start time decision can have meaningful effects on students’ sleep, health, engagement with school, and learning .

Over the last two decades, sleep research has convincingly shown that around the onset of puberty many adolescents experience biological changes that impact the timing of their sleep. Adolescents still need approximately nine hours of sleep each night, but it becomes difficult for them to fall asleep before 11:00pm and wake before 8:00am. Early school start times make it challenging for adolescents to get the sleep they need, and fatigued students may be less engaged with and successful in school.

In response to this evidence, many school districts across the country have delayed start times for their high schools. This decision is supported by sleep research and multiple studies showing that later high school start times are associated with improved attendance , course grades , behavior , and achievement .

While later start times benefit high school students, we also need to consider the indirect effects on younger students. Districts often stagger start times for elementary, middle, and high schools to allow for multiple busing runs, lessen traffic congestion, and allow caregivers to drop off children at different schools. If high schools are starting later, it likely means that elementary and/or middle schools must start earlier.

Is this a good tradeoff? Do these earlier elementary and middle school start times come at a cost to the sleep and academic outcomes of younger students? And are there better and worse ways to organize school schedules? Over the last five years, we have sought to answer these questions through a series of studies on school start times in North Carolina.

Why Do School Start Times Matter for Student Academic Outcomes?

In prior work , we put forth a theoretical model for how start times influence academic outcomes. Later school start times allow for additional sleep , which should benefit students’ alertness , attention, and memory . An increase in sleep and cognitive functioning should improve more proximate academic outcomes such as attendance, behavior, and course grades. More distally, we would expect benefits for student achievement.

Yet, studying the effects of varying school start times can be challenging. Comparing academic outcomes across schools with different start times may conflate start time effects with other characteristics of schools and districts. A more rigorous approach is to assess how changes in school start times predict changes in academic outcomes. However, schools rarely change start times, and even when schools do change start times, there are questions regarding the generalizability of those effects to other schools.

To date, there have been only a few studies on start times and academic outcomes for elementary and middle school students. At the elementary school level, prior studies do not convincingly isolate start time effects or analyze actual changes in start times. At the middle school level, a study from one district shows that shifts to later start times predict higher test scores, especially for low-performing students.

New research from North Carolina

We add to this existing research with a series of start time studies in North Carolina. This includes analyses of an urban district that shifted many elementary school start times from 9:00am to 7:45am or 8:30am, as well as statewide analyses of start times in elementary and middle schools . Our work uses eight years of administrative data and considers a broad set of outcomes—sleep, attendance, suspensions, course grades, and test scores—for all students and certain subgroups. Notably, we focus on schools that make changes to their start times rather than relying on variation in start times between schools. In combination, our studies provide the richest evidence yet regarding the connections between start times and academic outcomes for younger students.

Finding 1: Earlier start times have small, mixed effects on elementary school students

In partnership with an urban district in North Carolina, we surveyed 5th graders, districtwide, about their sleep and perceptions of their start time. Compared to peers attending elementary schools starting at 9:00am, those attending elementary schools starting at 7:45am reported getting 45 minutes less sleep per night. In addition, those starting at 7:45am were approximately half as likely—40% to 74%—to agree that their school started at the right time. These findings are consistent with prior work showing a strong relationship between school start times and sleep.

While later start times predict more sleep for elementary school students, results for academic outcomes are modest and mixed. We find that student absences increased slightly after elementary schools switched to an earlier start time (with some evidence of larger increases for white students and those living in rural areas). Conversely, we find that earlier elementary school start times predict modestly higher math scores, especially for economically disadvantaged students and students of color. In our analysis, start times do not appear to affect elementary school reading scores or suspension rates.

Finding 2: Earlier start times negatively affect middle school students

Earlier start times have more consistent and substantially negative effects for middle schoolers. We find that student absences increase after middle schools switch to an earlier start time. These results are particularly large for economically disadvantaged students and suggest that it may be difficult for some students and families to adjust to an earlier commute. Middle school students—especially middle school boys—are also less likely to be suspended after their school switches to a later start time. For instance, after a one-hour delay in start time, middle school boys are 2.5 percentage points less likely to ever be suspended during the year. Start times do not predict course grades for middle school students.

We find robust evidence linking later start times to increased test scores for middle school students. A one-hour delay in middle school start times predicts math scores 8% of a standard deviation higher and reading scores 4% of a standard deviation higher. To put these results into perspective, these estimates are larger in magnitude than the average effectiveness differences between first- and second-year teachers.

Implications for Start Time Decisions

Our findings highlight several important takeaways for state and local education officials. Like prior work in high school , our findings show that later start times benefit the academic outcomes of middle school students. Meanwhile, we find that earlier start times for elementary school students have modest and mixed effects—i.e. a small increase in absences but also a small increase in math test scores. These findings are consistent with the biology behind adolescent sleep. That is, changes in sleep patterns occur around the onset of puberty, which is generally when adolescents are in middle school or near the end of elementary school.

Taken together, our results indicate that districts should prioritize later start times for high schools and middle schools. Evidence indicates that elementary schools can start earlier to accommodate these shifts without negatively affecting student outcomes.

More broadly, we believe our results emphasize the connections between adolescent health and educational outcomes. Initiatives to improve student health—e.g., later start times, free school meals , and school-based health clinics —can be effective approaches to improve student engagement and achievement. This is particularly important in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as districts and schools work to promote student social-emotional and learning recovery.

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10 Reasons Why School Should Start Later (Top Benefits!)

Research demonstrates that school starting later is good for adolescents . It can give them more time to sleep and even improve test scores.

Nevertheless, school starting later does have some downsides. Parents need to get their children off to school early so they can go to work and earn money for their families.

Here are my top 10 reasons why school should start later.

• Helps students focus
• Caters to their natural sleep timetable
• Reduce the risk of car accidents
• Reduces risky behavior
• Improves information retention
• Helps teens feel happier
• Improves attendance
• Reduces stress
• Increases breakfast consumption
• Caters to their needs

There are a number of reasons school should start later, and it’s not just because the teenagers are being lazy and want to sleep in. The rest of this article will address the scientific reasons defending a later start for schools.

Don’t miss the other side of the debate: Reasons School Should Start Earlier!

Reasons Why School should Start Later

1. school helps students focus.

One of the primary reasons school should start later is that it helps them focus. For students who are naturally inclined to stay up late and sleep in, going to school earlier can disrupt their circadian rhythm, diminishing their capacity to retain information.

What teachers often mistake for laziness is often the student’s body being negatively impacted by an unnatural biological cycle, compounding in a lack of focus on schoolwork.

In fact, a study by Lufi et al. (2011) found that an extra hour of sleep for adolescents significantly increased their attention levels on the “Mathematics Continuous Performance Test”.

By contrast, students that have a hard time focusing are also often singled out for misbehavior, which can affect their self-perception and make them less inclined to put in effort at school.

2. Caters to Their Natural Sleep Schedule

Another important reasons why school should start later is that a later start is better for students’ natural sleep cycle.

Especially for teenagers, the tendency is to stay up late and sleep longer, needing 8.5-9.5 hours to be fully rested. For a student who goes to bed at 11p.m., they would need to sleep until 7:30-8:30a.m. to be fully rested, a time frame when most schools have already started.

At the end of the day, better sleep means better performance in school. Students who feel refreshed in the morning are more likely to be optimistic about the day’s work and more receptive to learning.

3. Reduces the Risk of Car Accidents

Aside from improving student learning, a longer rest period for students who drive reduces the risk of car accidents.

For teens who are just learning how to drive, adding on an early school start is just a recipe for disaster. Teenagers make up over 50% of all car accidents that involve fatalities, and it certainly makes one wonder just how many of them are caused by sleep deprivation.

Lack of sleep slows down motor reflexes (Taheri & Arabameri, 2012) and makes a driver far more likely to make an error in judgement and cause an accident. Paired with their biological need to sleep longer, teens who start school earlier are more likely to get into accidents in the morning.

4. Reduces Other Risky Behaviors

Sleep-deprived teenagers are more likely to engage in any risky behaviors, not just driving dangerously.

While, of course, there are other factors that contribute to adolescent risk-taking (not least of which is an underdeveloped brain ), there’s no denying that sleep-deprived students aren’t using their mental faculties to full effect when it comes to risky decision making.

Switching to a later start time can help students, especially teenagers, feel more rested, emotionally stable, and less sleep-deprived so that they maximize their chances of making intelligent decisions.

5. Improves Information Retention

As well as helping students focus in the classroom environment, a later school start helps students retain information during class, especially those first and second period classes getting into the swing of the day.

Retaining information requires a lot of brainpower, something that students might struggle to conjure up if they are sleep-deprived.

A later start gives students more time to prepare themselves mentally for the day of learning ahead, helping them retain more information along the way.

One of the most extensive systematic reviews of the literature on school start times found that mid- to long-term memory retention is mildly improved with increased sleep in adolescents (Marx et al., 2017).

6. Helps Teens Feel Happier

When school starts early, teenagers can feel as though their natural circadian rhythm is off all the time, negatively affecting their mood and sense of well-being.

In fact, well-being is one of the most positive outcomes from research on late school start times (Marx et al., 2017).

Anecdotally, teenagers seem to be inclined to go to bed later (perhaps due to less self-governing abilities than adults). They also tend to need longer periods of rest than adults because they are going through significant physical and cognitive changes.

With that in mind, a later start to school is more in line with their biological needs and can positively affect their happiness.

7. Improved Attendance (Potentially)

Students who struggle in school or don’t see the merit in education often have a hard time motivating themselves to work hard, or even attend school at all.

When classes begin before 8:00, which is common in most schools, students on the periphery may feel more inclined to skip first period altogether to catch up on their sleep.

Starting a little later removes that concern and helps students who are struggling to motivate themselves take a little more time in the morning to prepare for the day ahead.

8. Reduced Stress

In a similar vein, students face a lot of stress that can negatively affect their performance in school, and the prospect of starting school so early is yet another factor that may contribute to stress in their lives.

Starting school later may on a case-by-case basis reduce stress, especially when it comes to attending first period. For example, the systematic review by Marx et al. (2017) found that some research shows that children often “are less tense at home, and school nurses have reported fewer stress-related complaints and illnesses.”

9. They Eat More Breakfast

A later school starting time may mean students will consume more breakfast.

Marx et al’s (2017, p. 13) systematic review found that some evidence points toward this outcome:

“There has been some indication (especially in Wahlstrom 2002) that students in later starting schools eat breakfast more often.”

Of course, intuitively this makes sense. They will have more time in the morning to prepare for school, meaning there is extra space in the day to allow young people to prepare and eat their breakfast.

The benefits of eating breakfast are vast – including heart health, better memory retention, and more stable moods.

10. Caters to Their Needs

Lastly, and in summation, starting school later than 8:00 helps cater to what the students want and need.

Most students would prefer not to have to run through the routine of preparing for school early in the morning if they could start later, and for teenagers especially, starting later could be a way to address their wants and needs .

There are a number of reasons school should start later than it does, and most students would jump at the chance to shift their first period back by just an hour. Starting school later helps students get a better night’s sleep, focus on their classwork, and improves their chances of success.

Other Debate Topics

• 16 Reasons College Athletes Should be Paid
• 16 Reasons Why School is Important

Bowers, J. M., & Moyer, A. (2017). Effects of school start time on students’ sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, and attendance: a meta-analysis.  Sleep health ,  3 (6), 423-431.

Lufi, D., Tzischinsky, O., & Hadar, S. (2011). Delaying school starting time by one hour: some effects on attention levels in adolescents.  Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine ,  7 (2), 137-143.

Marx, R., Tanner‐Smith, E. E., Davison, C. M., Ufholz, L. A., Freeman, J., Shankar, R., … & Hendrikx, S. (2017). Later school start times for supporting the education, health, and well‐being of high school students: a systematic review.  Campbell Systematic Reviews ,  13 (1), 1-99.

Taheri, M., & Arabameri, E. (2012). The effect of sleep deprivation on choice reaction time and anaerobic power of college student athletes.  Asian journal of sports medicine ,  3 (1), 15.

Wahistrom, K. (2002). Changing times: Findings from the first longitudinal study of later high school start times.  Nassp Bulletin ,  86 (633), 3-21. Widome, R., Berger, A. T., Iber, C., Wahlstrom, K., Laska, M. N., Kilian, G., … & Erickson, D. J. (2020). Association of delaying school start time with sleep duration, timing, and quality among adolescents.  JAMA pediatrics ,  174 (7), 697-704.

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Starting School Later — Why Should School Start Later: Negative Effects of Early School Start

Why Should School Start Later: Negative Effects of Early School Start

• Categories: High School Starting School Later Student

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Words: 1679 |

Updated: 3 November, 2023

Words: 1679 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, why should school start later, works cited, video version.

• Carskadon, M. A., & Acebo, C. (2002). Regulation of sleepiness in adolescents: update, insights, and speculation. Sleep, 25(6), 606-614.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Schools start too early. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/features/school-start-times/index.html
• Danner, F., & Phillips, B. (2008). Adolescent sleep, school start times, and teen motor vehicle crashes. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 4(6), 533-535.
• Gruber, R., Somerville, G., Enros, P., Paquin, S., Kestenberg, J., & Carrier, J. (2016). Sleep efficiency (but not sleep duration) of healthy adolescents is greater with later school start times. Sleep, 39(2), 349-356.
• Hagenauer, M. H., Perryman, J. I., Lee, T. M., & Carskadon, M. A. (2009). Adolescent changes in the homeostatic and circadian regulation of sleep. Developmental Neuroscience, 31(4), 276-284.
• Minges, K. E., & Redeker, N. S. (2016). Delayed school start times and adolescent sleep: A systematic review of the experimental evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 28, 86-95.
• Owens, J. A., Belon, K., & Moss, P. (2010). Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 164(7), 608-614.
• Paruthi, S., Brooks, L. J., D'Ambrosio, C., Hall, W. A., Kotagal, S., Lloyd, R. M., ... & Wise, M. S. (2016). Recommended amount of sleep for pediatric populations: a consensus statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 12(6), 785-786.
• Wahlstrom, K. L., & Dretzke, B. (2009). Changing times: Findings from the first longitudinal study of later high school start times. NASSP Bulletin, 93(4), 1-22.
• Wheaton, A. G., Ferro, G. A., Croft, J. B., & School start times and insufficient sleep among high school students—United States, 2015–2017. (2018). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(3), 85-90.

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21% of teen motor vehicle accidents are caused by drowsy driving. Drowsy, exhausted students are often complaining about their school start times being way too early. Because they have to wake up so early, it makes the school day very exhausting for them. Teen tiredness is now considered to be a public health pandemic. School starting at a later time is beneficial because it helps students catch up on sleep, it helps students stay out of trouble, and it helps students’ ability to learn. (5)

One reason school times should start later is because it will help students catch up on sleep. “Sleep deprivation has become virtually epidemic among American teenagers. Research suggests that adolescents require about 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep, but according to the National Sleep Foundation, only 14% achieve this goal” (Peorgers 4). To not get the recommended amount of sleep causes a repercussion on the human body and brain. Lack of sleep increases students chances of depression and suicidal thoughts. It can also potentially weaken the immune system. The school day is hard enough on a child and not getting enough sleep does not make it any better. School starting later will benefit many teens on getting the rest they need in order to take on the challenging school day. There are 15% of schools in America that start after 8:30. Because those schools pushed back start times, it improved their students energy at school. Even pushing back the start time by just 30 minutes has helped a lot in students behavior. (9)

Another reason why school should start later is, it will help students stay out of trouble. “Later school days mean less unsupervised time for teenagers, meaning that bored youth would less likely to get in trouble” (Late 1). In some places, schools get out as early as 2:30. To get out that early leaves students with a lot of time on their hand. If school were to start at a later time, it would mean that it would end at a later time. This could potentially help students stay out of trouble. To decrease the number of hours students have after school, it will help them stay occupied with their education. (7)

“Grades would improve, it is argued, because teenagers seem wired to sleep in later and so would arrive at school less tired and more willing to learn” (Late 1). If students obtain the correct amount of sleep it is known to increase their ability to learn. Students will show up to school with a more optimistic outlook on their education. To not get enough sleep, students show up to school very irritable and in a bad mood. When irritable, it causes students to lash out at people who do not deserve it. And when everyone is irritable, school then becomes a negative place for students due to everyone’s grouchy attitude. In the classroom, teachers struggle to teach their students when all they see is eyes that are half open or eyes that are not open at all. (7)

Although there are many excellent and logical reasons as to why schools should start at a later time, there are also many logical reasons as to why it should not. “If students were to be pampered by a late school start, we would get a rather big shock when, further down the track, our employers would expect us to begin work at 8am” (Leave 7). For school to start later, it would mean the students with after school jobs cannot put in as many hours as they would be able to if the school ours were left alone. Students are also involved in sports that require after school practices. School getting out later means that practices will run later too. Because the practices would run late it would leave students less time to complete homework, not to mention the students who live out of town and have a long drive to get home. (5)

Students would greatly appreciate getting extra sleep even if it has it’s disadvantages. If all schools delay the school start times it will help students catch up on sleep. It will help students stay out of trouble. And last but not least it will help students and their ability to learn. For students to get the required amount of sleep it will decrease the number of motor vehicle accidents. All in all, delaying the school start time has proven to improve students’ school day. (6)

Works Cited Boergers, Julie, and Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter. “Benefits of Later School Start Times.” Academic Journal, vol. 31, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 1–6. “Late Start Times for High School Students Well Worth It.” Kitchener Post, 9 Apr. 2017. “Leave School Hours Alone .” Waikato Times , 6 June 1997, p. 7. “Starting School Later May Enhance Student Performance.” Independent School, 2010, pp. 11–11.

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