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 for implementing the new start times, potential impacts, 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 will also be subject to these start time regulations unless they have submitted the required report to the Department of Education. The bill emphasizes the importance of community engagement by requiring school boards to inform stakeholders about the effects of sleep deprivation on students and to discuss strategies for implementing later start times. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

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