Schools Consider Later Start Times to Address Student Mental Health Crisis

Some schools are postponing start times to 9:45 a.m. or later to help alleviate stresses on students after months of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research shows many middle and high school students lack adequate sleep, exacerbating mental health issues that have intensified during the pandemic.
At least nine states are weighing bills on later school start times, and some large districts are studying the possibility.
While later start times reduce instruction time, schools say the change also helps address teacher shortages and support students attending only virtually.
Schools that have made the switch still assign remote coursework for the morning but give students flexibility in how they use the early hours.