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Newsweek
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Florida Set To Change School Start Times
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Florida lawmakers have unanimously voted to undo a statewide mandate requiring later start times for middle and high schools - less than a year after approving it. The bill, passed in both the House and Senate without opposition, would give school districts the ability to keep earlier bell schedules if they determine that later times are unworkable. Newsweek has contacted State Senators Clay Yarborough and Tracie Davis, who introduced the bill, as well as House sponsor Representative Anne Gerwig via email for comment. Why It Matters Local officials in counties such as Pinellas and Pasco raised red flags over the cost and operational strain of the original law. Pinellas County estimated it would need to spend nearly $3 million and hire dozens of new bus drivers. Pasco County leaders cited similar concerns. Pinellas board member Lisa Cane said students have voiced concern over how later times could affect their jobs and extracurricular activities. Traffic congestion is another worry in the county. File photo: students hangout between classes at Colonial H.S. in Orlando, Florida. File photo: students hangout between classes at Colonial H.S. in Orlando, Florida. Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP What To Know The 2023 law had required middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m., based on research into teen sleep patterns. Districts were given three years to comply, however, implementation quickly ran into financial and logistical hurdles, particularly in large urban and small rural counties, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Senate Bill 296 will allow school districts to avoid the requirement, by informing the state Department of Education why a shift in the start times would not work. House sponsor Representative Anne Gerwig, a Republican from Wellington, said the original law had good intentions as it considered adolescent and teens normal sleep schedules, but that for some schools making the change could be difficult, so allowing them leeway was important. "A lot of times we don't really realize everything that could happen," she said during the floor discussion. A fiscal report on the bill explained that some of the barriers faced by schools under the ruling of the 2023 legislation included childcare and student supervision issues, after-school activities issues and transportation issues concerning the costs of adding bus routes and buses. What People Are Saying State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, a Democrat from Orlando, speaking about the original legislation, said, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times: "When this bill came, so many of us yelled to the rooftops about the unintended consequences. Unfortunately it fell on deaf ears. So here we are repealing the bill." State Senator Danny Burgess, a Zephyrhills Republican, during a committee debate on the bill last month: "Without more resources, without maybe even more time to figure out how we actually implement this in real time, with bus driver shortages and the like, we are possibly walking into a minefield that we shouldn't venture into," said "It was one heck of a pain in the butt that bill was. And so this makes me wonder what it was really all for." What Happens Next The bill is now headed to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for approval. With DeSantis expected to sign the new bill, Florida school districts will retain wider authority over start times.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida lawmakers move to delay school start time law for high schools
The Brief Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a bill that would shield school districts from a 2023 law mandating later high school start times. School districts are struggling with logistics like bus shortages and after-school activity impacts. Rep. Anne Gerwig suggests kids could get more sleep by going to bed earlier. ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida lawmakers Wednesday moved forward with shielding school districts from a 2023 law aimed at later daily start times for high schools. What we know Florida lawmakers have moved forward with a bill (HB 261) that would shield school districts from a 2023 law mandating later start times for high schools. The law, set to take effect in 2026, was intended to give high school students more sleep, but districts are struggling with compliance due to logistical issues like bus availability and child-care concerns. What we don't know The bill's progress through the legislative process and its final passage remain uncertain. It's unclear how districts will balance the challenges of meeting the law's requirements or if further adjustments will be made before the 2026 deadline. The backstory The 2023 law aimed to improve the sleep patterns of high school students by pushing back school start times. However, school districts have raised concerns about the financial and logistical challenges of implementing the new schedule, including the need for more buses, bus drivers, and the impact on extracurricular activities. Big picture view Supporters of the bill argue that while the science behind later start times is sound, the logistics of implementing it in practice are problematic. Critics, however, feel that the law should be enforced to prioritize student well-being, despite the challenges faced by school districts. Timeline The 2023 law is set to go into effect in 2026, but with the bill moving forward, changes to that deadline are now possible. What they're saying "We all understand the science (of later start times for older students), and the science makes sense," Rep. Jeff Holcomb, R-Spring Hill, said. "But it's a logistics nightmare. At the end of the day, are we going to send our elementary school students to school at 7 a.m.? There really isn't a good answer." The bill would allow districts to avoid meeting the requirements. "I would suggest, as a parent, that kids could get more sleep if they went to bed earlier," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by The News Service of Florida.
