We will soon introduce legislation that will facilitate school entities with establishing later school start times for secondary students.

Numerous studies have shown that adolescents, particularly high school students, require an average of 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night for optimal physical and mental health, academic performance and overall well-being.

However, many of PA’s secondary schools begin before the recommended 8:30 A.M., preventing students from achieving the necessary quality and duration of sleep due to start times that are just too early.
In the 2017-18 legislative session, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 417 – which directed the Joint State Government Commission to establish an advisory committee to conduct a study on secondary school start time.

The study – entitled, “Sleep Deprivation in Adolescents: The Case for Delaying Secondary School Start Times,” notes as a best practice standard that the ideal start time for secondary school students is 8:30 A.M. or later.

Our bill authorizes Pennsylvania school entities to voluntarily adopt later start times for secondary schools, and permits funding from the School Safety and Mental Health Grant Program to be used to alleviate costs associated with the planning, implementation or operation of a later school start time..  This bill represents a critical opportunity to prioritize the health and academic success of our students based on solid scientific evidence.

Please join us in cosponsoring this legislation so that we can enhance our students’ health, safety and academic success.