BILL NUMBER: S2631A
SPONSOR: JACKSON
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring public
elementary schools to start no earlier than eight a.m. and public
secondary schools to start no earlier than eight thirty a.m.
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to prohibit the start time of public schools
before 8:00am for elementary schools and 8:30AM for secondary schools
across the State.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 creates a new subdivision 60 of Section 305 of the Education
Law that requires the Commissioner of Education to promulgate rules and
regulations requiring public elementary schools to start no earlier than
8:00AM and public secondary schools start no earlier than 8:30AM.
Section 2 creates a new subdivision 8-a of Section 3604 of the Education
Law that requires trustees or boards of education to provide a report
for the preceding school year demonstrating that public elementary
schools started no earlier than 8:00AM and public secondary schools
started no earlier than 8:30AM as a condition for apportionment of
school funds.
Section 3 is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Analysis by the New York State School Boards Association found that
two-thirds of high schools start the school day before 8AM. According to
the Centers for Disease Control, early school start times can pose
health risks to adolescents, including being overweight, drinking alco-
hol, smoking tobacco, and using drugs. Studies have also shown that the
academic performance of sleep-deprived students suffers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high
schools start no earlier than 8:30AM to ensure that students aged 13 to
18 are receiving the 8 to 10 hours of sleep recommended by doctors.
California enacted legislation in 2019 to mandate high school start
times no earlier than 8:30AM; and several states are currently studying
the effects of beginning school later. This legislation would add New
York to the list of states taking action to prevent adolescent health
issues caused by lack of sleep.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S5449 - Referred to Education/A.440 - Referred to Education
2021-2022: S.1466 - Referred to Education/A.8202 - Referred to Education
 
STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all academic
years, beginning on and after such date.

Statutes affected:
S2631: 305 education law, 3604 education law
S2631A: 305 education law, 3604 education law