Every week, millions of high school students are up before the sun. Alarms go off at 5, and
the first period begins while many students are still fighting to keep their eyes open. Early start
times have become normal, but maybe it’s time we change that.
When teens are struggling to wake up it doesn’t mean that they are just “lazy”. Science
tells us that according to health organizations, teens need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night,
yet most high school students get less. The lack of sleep affects memory, concentration, mood and
even physical health. It increases stress levels and can contribute to anxiety and depression.
If schools are meant to support students well beings and academic success, they should be
making sure that students are fit to come to school. Some people would argue that starting school
later would start to have a negative effect on things like bus schedules, after school sports and
parents’ work schedules. These things do sound like they could be a problem but they are
solvable. Districts around the country that have successfully shifted their start times have
reported improvements in attendance, grades and have also reduced car accidents from teen
drivers.
If research consistently shows that later start times improve academic performance,
mental health, and safety, then maintaining early schedules out of convenience sends out the
wrong message. It suggests that tradition matters more than student well-being. High school
already demands a lot from students, so the least they can do is ensure that students are awake
enough to meet those expectations. Later school start times aren’t about giving teenagers an
excuse to sleep in. They’re about giving students a fair chance to succeed.