04-06-2025
Bill to support later high school start times passes in House, Senate
Jun. 4—Lawmakers approved an amended bill this week that would offer grant funding to Maine school districts to explore pushing back high school start times to 8:30 a.m. or later.
The amendment replaced the original version of LD 396, sponsored by Senate President Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, that sought to mandate an 8:30 a.m. or later start time for all high schools.
Daughtry has long advocated for pushing back start times, arguing that research shows teens need more sleep to be safe and productive at school. Her efforts have stalled in the past, and while this year's bill advanced in both the House and Senate this week, it was not without significant changes.
Following amendments in committee and on the Senate floor, LD 396 no longer mandates a start time for all districts. Instead, it creates a grant-funded pilot program that would support districts financially if they want to explore changing their high school start time to 8:30 a.m. or later, either within their own district or in collaboration with neighboring ones.
The bill has a $206,078 fiscal note, which includes $100,000 for the grant program and $106,078 for the Department of Education, which would be tasked with creating an application process, timeline and criteria for the grant program.
"I've been dreaming about making this happen at the state level since high school. My classmates and I wanted adults to change this back when we were teenagers, struggling through our early mornings," Daughtry said Wednesday. "While this isn't a statewide requirement, it's still a meaningful step forward and a real win for Maine's high schoolers."
The amended bill passed the Senate in a 20-13 vote on Tuesday and passed through the House unanimously Wednesday. It still needs additional votes in both chambers, and approval from the Appropriations Committee, before being sent to Gov. Janet Mills. A spokesperson for the governor did not say whether Mills had a stance on the bill, just that she would review the bill as enacted if it reaches her desk.
At a public hearing on LD 396 in February, students and parents testified that a later start time would improve safety and academic outcomes. Pediatric health experts said research shows later high school start times lead to improved attendance, better grades, less tardiness and fewer car accidents.
But statewide education groups and the Maine Department of Education submitted testimony in opposition, arguing that a statewide mandate would not acknowledge districts' varied needs.
"(Districts) across Maine vary significantly in their geographic, demographic and logistical realities. Decisions about school start and end times are complex and deeply interconnected with transportation, after-school programming, extracurricular activities, student employment and family schedules," Chief Teaching and Learning Officer Beth Lambert said on behalf of the department. "Each district must be free to determine the start and end times that work best for their students, families, and communities."
The pilot program, called the School Start Time Fund, would provide one-time grants to be used by schools to coordinate start time changes. Districts are also free to push back their start times on their own, and several Maine districts — including Portland, South Portland, Bath and Biddeford — have already implemented their own late-start policies.
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