Starr Recommends New Start Times

By Vicky Florian ‘14

MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr has advocated a change in start and end times for high school students and intends to thoroughly investigate the various aspects of the subject. His proposal was unanimously approved by the Board of Education on October 8, meaning much more discussion and analysis of the details will follow.

High schools in the district would begin 50 minutes later, 8:15 a.m. rather than 7:25 a.m., and end later, 3 p.m. rather than the current 2:10 p.m., according to his plan. Middle schools would begin 10 minutes earlier and elementary schools’ start times would remain the same, but their days would be extended by 30 minutes.

“I am making this recommendation because I believe it is in the best interests of our students. There is extensive research that demonstrates that adolescents are simply not getting enough sleep. This is a public health and safety issue,” said Starr, according to the MCPS press release. “If we are truly committed to the well-being of our students, we must consider the feasibility of adjusting our start times to support their health and success.”

Starr expects to receive considerable input from the public, including students, staff, parents and community members in order to incorporate public opinion into the decision making process. Staff is also expected to perform an in-depth cost analysis and study the operational impact of the plan’s implementation. By spring of 2014, Starr anticipates these numerous forms of feedback and response will have been collected and examined, with its earliest implementation being 2015.

“I believe this is an important issue. I know there will be a great deal of public discussion about this recommendation and that it is likely to engender a great deal of passion,” said Starr. “We have an obligation to dig deeper into this issue and make the most informed decision possible, keeping the health and well-being of our children at the forefront of our discussions and decisions.”