By Catherine Jou ’15

Last year, MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr proposed a 21 million dollar plan to change start times, but his proposal was rejected. On January 6, Starr presented the board with cost-free options to change bell times, shifting all start times to 20 or 35 minutes later, as well as offering other options costing less than 10 million dollars per year.

Other options include having elementary schools start before high schools and middle schools or having middle schools start first. More options the Board is considering are having a split high school day starting and ending at two different times. However, students would have to find their own transportation for the second wave. MCPS is also exploring the possibilities for high school students to have shortened schedules and opportunities for online courses in lieu of changing start times.

Starr recommended that there be the 20-minute shift in start times, stating that the cost would be inconsequential. Though many critics, particularly activist parent groups, still argue that this proposed change is insufficient, Starr believes it is a step in the right direction.