Schools Across America Should Start Later than 8:30 A.M.

Considerable research confirms the relationship between school start times, sleep deprivation, and student performance, truancy, and absenteeism, as well as depression, mood swings, and impulse control. Mounting evidence about the biology of adolescent sleep, and about the impact of later start times, shows that starting school early not only undermines academic achievement but endangers health and safety. Data from later starting schools corroborate national findings in demonstrating improvements in tardiness, absenteeism, and performance. To improve the learning ability of students, we call on the Obama administration to address school start times across the nation.