H.486 - Resolve authorizing a study of starting times and schedules

Current Status: Read more. 

Background: Schools that continue to have very early start times are harming their students by putting them at an increased risk of a drowsy-driving-related car crashes, damaging their academic performance, and making them more likely to experience myriad other adverse effects by not giving students enough time to sleep. 

Sudbury recently pushed back public school start times by 45 minutes after examining the enormous body of evidence showing student benefits. 

What this bill does: H.486, will convene an educational task force to review the effect of school day start times on middle school and secondary school students. 

This task force will:

1. Conduct a comprehensive study, including a review of the scientific findings relative to sleep needs of adolescents and the effect that middle school and secondary school day start times have on the health and academic performance of students
2. Determine the amount of districts in the commonwealth that have implemented later school start times and analyze the academic performance of those students. 
3. Identify resources and opportunities to assist districts in implementing later school day start times for middle and high-school students should findings from (1) and (2) suggest that a later school day start time is beneficial to student learning