The bill amends sections 1001.42 and 1002.33 of the Florida Statutes to establish new requirements regarding the start times for middle and high schools. Specifically, it mandates that by July 1, 2026, middle schools cannot start earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools cannot start earlier than 8:30 a.m. To ensure compliance, district school boards must submit a report to the Department of Education by June 1, 2026, detailing their school start times, strategies considered for implementation, the impact of these changes, and any unintended consequences. This report will serve as a basis for determining compliance with the new start time requirements.

Additionally, the bill specifies that charter schools must also comply with the new start time regulations unless they have submitted the required report to the Department of Education. The effective date for this act is set for July 1, 2025. The legislation aims to address the health, safety, and academic impacts of sleep deprivation on students by promoting later school start times.

Statutes affected:
S 296 Filed: 1001.42, 1002.33
S 296 c1: 1001.42
S 296 c2: 1001.42, 1002.33
S 296 er: 1001.42, 1002.33