Illinois considers changing high school start times
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — High school students in Illinois may be allowed to sleep in a bit more if a new bill becomes law, prohibiting schools from starting earlier than 8:45 a.m.
HB2951 was introduced by Rep. Laura Faver Dias (D-62nd), and should amend the Illinois School Code.
Student advocates for the bill spoke in the House Education Policy Committee on Wednesday, saying that students who sleep for 8 hours experience better mental health and succeed in classes.
Libertyville High School adopted the 8:45 a.m. start time in 2018 and said students have seen significant improvements, WAND reported.
According to the , sleeping between 8.5 to 9.5 hours is considered best for teens, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2021 that 77% of students were .
A high school in Jackson Hole, Wyoming from 7:35 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. and reported that students slept more, showed up to class on time, and may have helped reduce car accidents.
At the , parents complained that a later start time didn't align with their work schedules.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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