California Becomes First in the Country to Mandate That High Schools and Middle Schools Start Later in the Morning

The bill is based on over three decades of research on teen health, sleep patterns and brain chemistry

By Terry Miller

“Our kids win today as State Senator Anthony J.Portantino’s (D – La Cañada Flintridge) school start time billSB 328 has been signed by Governor Gavin Newsom,” Portantino’s press releasestated.

Senator Portantino has been in pursuit of a later school start time foryears, having seen firsthand the effects of sleepy-eyed kids trying to stayawake in morning classes that start at 7 a.m.

For many students that start time meant skipping breakfast and gettingready for school before the sun even rises.

The new law will take effect over a phased-in period, ultimatelyrequiring middle schools to begin classes at 8 a.m. or later while high schoolswill start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The law apparently doesn’t apply tooptional early classes, known as “zero periods.”

While school schedules vary, a legislative analysis in July found thatroughly half the schools in the state will be required to delay their starttimes by 30 minutes or less to comply with the law. An analysis of the2011-2012 school year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention foundthe average start time for California schools attended by some 3 million middleschool and high school students was 8:07 a.m. Some of the state’s students wererequired to be in class before 7:30 a.m.

California will become the first state in the country to mandate thathigh schools and middle schools start later in the morning. The bill is basedon over three decades of research on teen health, sleep patterns and brainchemistry. SB 328 seeks to align school start times with the biology of teens.Overwhelming research shows that when the school day starts later, children aresignificantly healthier and perform better in school. The California PTA sponsoredand supported SB 328. 

While pediatricians and researchers from across the country unitedbehind the bill, it faced stiff opposition. That opposition led to a vetofrom Gov. Brown last year. This year, Gov. Newsom “appropriately” saw thingsdifferently and put children’s health and welfare at the forefront of educationpolicy, according to Portantio’s office.

“Today, Governor Newsom displayed a heartwarming and discerningunderstanding of the importance of objective research and exercised strongleadership as he put our children’s health and welfare ahead of institutionalbureaucracy resistant to change. Generations of children will come toappreciate this historic day and our Governor for taking bold action. Ourchildren face a public health crisis. Shifting to a later start time willimprove academic performance and save lives because it helps our children behealthier. The PTA, researchers, doctors, educational advocates and everyparent and child who worked tirelessly and passionately on this three-yeareffort should take pride in what we have accomplished with the passage of SB328. When I heard the good news I literally got choked up because of theoverwhelming positive impact this will have on our children and for the deepappreciation for everyone who took this journey together. I am beyondexcited that now our work begins to implement this necessary educational andpublic health reform,” commented Senator Portantino.

Beginning over three decades ago in Minneapolis, researchers beganstudying the brain chemistry of teens. They found that teens requirealmost 10 hours of sleep per night to be healthy but receive far less intoday’s complicated society. By moving school start time later teensachieve more sleep and consequently are healthier and happier. 

Assemblymember Todd Gloria was a stalwart supporter of SB328 helping toshepherd it through the State Assembly. “I was very pleased to join this effortto prioritize our children’s health. I could not look at the overwhelmingresearch behind SB328 and not be compelled to act. Students in San Diegoand across California will enjoy more sleep and do better in school. It israre you get to enact policy that will have such an immediate benefit whichmakes this even more important. As soon as schools start later our children andfamilies will be healthier and happier,” added Assemblymember Gloria.

The coalition behind SB 328 is significant with representatives of lawenforcement joining the PTA and the broad medical research community in supportfor the bill. SB 328 has a built-in three-year delay to give schooldistricts ample time to shift their start time. Data shows that coststypically do not go up in relation to the time shift, but attendancedoes. This will bring additional ADA dollars to California schools so thebill is a win for both the students and schools.

“Senator Portantino has worked closely with the California PTA toput student health first in the conversation. We are grateful for hisdedication to the late school start initiative and for the opportunity to partnerwith him on this effort. When teens get enough sleep, they are safer, healthierand do better in school. The California State PTA is proudto co-sponsor this bill and looks forward to helping implement this historicinitiative across our state,” added Carol Kocivar, California State PTA.

More from Arcadia Weekly