Later School Start Time

School start time has been a prominent topic in the last few years as students all over the country report not getting enough sleep throughout the week. Teenagers typically need 8-10 hours of sleep to properly function, but one study found only 15% of teens get 8 ½ hours of sleep on a school night. In another study, 60% of teens reported that they were tired throughout the day, and 15% said they fell asleep during class. At Ashland High School, the current start time is 7:30 a.m., but buses begin their routes at 6:40 a.m., resulting in many students having to wake up around the bright and early hour of 6 a.m. Between sports, clubs, and homework, sleep becomes much less of a priority than it should be. Lack of sleep can lead to a decrease in the ability to learn and concentrate on schoolwork, aggressive behavior, and can increase your susceptibility to illness. So, the question is, would a later start time improve these dismal statistics? …show more content…
One student argues, “If the start time is pushed back, then sports and homework will be too, thus students will go to bed later and wake up later, but we will still get the same amount of sleep.” Another student says “While some argue that teenagers have difficulty waking up early, the existing start time teaches students the discipline they will need throughout their lives. Not everyone will considerately adjust their lives because of you, and high school is supposed to prepare us for life.” One student even argues that the existing start time is too late, saying “It should be earlier. We waste an hour just lounging around the