An advisory committee convened by Pennsylvania’s Joint State Government Commission released a report proving that later start times, especially in high schools, is beneficial to student learning. While many Commonwealth school districts have already adopted later start times, the report contains findings from groups such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association that have also confirmed that the ideal start time for a secondary school student is 8:30 a.m. or later.
The report is to serve as a resource document for school districts in considering the adoption of a later start time and also encourages schools to collect their own data regarding whether their students are getting enough sleep. The report illustrates that sleep deprived students show a decrease in school performance, have more athletic injuries, more mental and physical health issues, depression, and anxiety.
