Start school days earlier? Later? Same as now? Tell Seattle Public Schools what you think about bell times

After years of talk about whether it would be healthier to start school later for older students, given their bio-clocks, Seattle Public Schools has been circulating proposed bell-time changes … and you have just a few more days to have a say in this round of discussion.

This has been a fairly quiet public-outreach process, focused more on localized small-group meetings as part of an initiative dubbed “Neighbor To Neighbor.” Last night, though, the district offered a meeting at a major regional location – Chief Sealth International High School.

The background info is on this district website.

They’re focusing right now on whether to follow one of these three paths:

) Keep the bell time schedule the same

2) [aka “Modified Flip”] – Modify the bell schedules so that Elementary Schools start at 8 am or 8:50 am, High schools start at 8:50 am, and Middle/K-8’s start at 9:40 am.

3) [aka “Extended High School Day”] Allow high school students to start their six period day at either 7:50 am or 8:40 am. All other bell times are unchanged.

Full details on the options are here.

The meeting started with the viewing of a district-provided video:

Then – discussion. No one disputed the research that suggests more sleep for older students would be optimal; the discussion on possibly starting school later centered more on what happens after school – with field availability for activities, for example, as is a challenge at West Seattle High School, where adjacent Hiawatha Playfield is shared with Seattle Parks, and other issues such as transportation.

One parent wondered: Where do the middle schools fit in? For all the talk about high schools, the parent wondered, how would kids of that age be affected? Much talk, but no conclusions, ensued.

Though the district is focused on the three options mentioned above, there are others, according to someone who circulated flyers at the meeting and said she had been on the district’s bell-times task force. The flyers mentioned the “Two Tiers” option and said it would start elementaries at 8 am and middle, high, K8s at 8:50 am. Whichever option you prefer, the official district survey is only scheduled to be open a few more days – go take it here, now!

WHAT’S NEXT? Once the results of this round of discussion result in a proposal, it’s scheduled for more outreach this fall, and then a School Board vote for a plan to be implemented starting with the 2016-2017 school year.

Steve May 13, 2015 (9:31 pm)

I’d say give them a 10 or 11 AM start time and end time at 4pm or 5pm. Gets them more sleep, time to prepare/finish assignments, and it will get them used to ending around the same time a 9-5 job normally ends. Gives the teachers additional prep time also.

Melissa Westbrook May 13, 2015 (9:38 pm)

Things to know:

– staff had to be dragged to this point. They put off this discussion for years until finally senior Board members like Sherry Carr said “we’re having this discussion.”

– what does staff do? Well, they make sure there is not ONE parent survey but two. Yes, the one at the meetings is NOT the one that’s on-line. Anyone who knows anything about surveys knows the surest way to confuse the issue is to have multiple surveys.

– As noted, the top picks of the district-appointed taskforce didn’t make their way to the meeting

– whenever anyone asks for real data on transportation issues, staff can’t supply it. Ever.

At the end of the day, the number one issue for the district should be academic outcomes. If other districts can do this, so can ours. Once again, it’s this entrenched thinking by staff that holds us back.

dsa May 13, 2015 (11:50 pm)

It’s the buses. Either get rid of them or fund enough to start schools at the same time.

Bonnie May 14, 2015 (6:38 am)

I agree that kids need more sleep but middle school from 9:40 to 4:10pm? That is ridiculous. It’s not safe walking to and from school now as it is and they expect them to walk home in the dark in the winter? editing to add that a 9:40am start time is hard enough for many families. I realize other elementary schools and I really think it’s too late for those families too. Many of the elementary schools have busing but more middle school kids have to walk due to the criteria to get busing (distance from the school is further for middle school)

John Lester May 14, 2015 (9:20 am)

The research and evidence is definitive, late starts = better education.

So what does Seattle do? Process the question until everyone gives up. Task forces, multiple surveys, agenda delays…anything so that the responsible parties can take no blame or make a definitive decision.

Please people, your job is to provide the best education we can afford, no go and do it.

WSB May 14, 2015 (9:29 am)

Mentioning this here before we get to the daily preview … We just found out that tonight’s candidates’ forum at SSC Georgetown will include local school board candidates (Marty McLaren and Leslie Harris, so far) as well as the at-large City Council candidates. Just an FYI for those interested in district issues/policies/ etc. … the daily preview with details will be up around 10 am. – Tracy

maplesyrup May 14, 2015 (9:46 am)

Bonnie they’re either going to be “unsafe” in the morning or in the evening. I’d rather have them get some sleep and arrive to school ready to learn instead of dead-tired.

dot May 14, 2015 (10:47 am)

Later starts are better.

Some elementary kids will sleep up to 12 hours a night if you let them, the one we have now regularly sleeps at least 10 hours a night but will sleep more on the weekends, it’s because they need it.

Roger May 14, 2015 (12:48 pm)

So they’ll stay up later watching YouTube and then what in a few years we’ll ask for a 12 noon start? Most jobs start at 8am, how is asking for a 10am-ish start preparing them for life after they’re coddled by the school district?

Karen May 14, 2015 (1:06 pm)

It seems like the high school option meets the needs but the transportation cost is extremely high. I would like to know exactly how that figure (19% increase in cost) was arrived at. Since most high school students don’t ride the yellow bus but are given ORCA cards, how is the cost more? Wouldn’t providing the cards be the same cost no matter when they are being used?

West Seattle Hipster May 14, 2015 (4:54 pm)

I hate the fact that in the winter kids will be going home in the dark, which puts them in a vulnerable position.

Kids need more sleep? Have them go to bed earlier.

StringCheese May 14, 2015 (8:34 pm)

West Seattle Hipster, there is actually a biological shift in sleep patterns during adolescence. Teenager’s late night patterns are natural and attempting to fight them has proved detrimental to kids learning for decades. Teenagers are often most alert between 10pm – midnight.
.
Don’t take my word for it. Science!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2820578/

m May 14, 2015 (9:30 pm)

@ Roger & West Seattle Hipster – the undisputed research on this indicates that the biological rhythms of kids this age shift at this time, resulting in this different sleep/wake pattern. It’s not preference, it’s not a character flaw, it’s not “coddling;” it’s what they’re biologically driven to do.

There’s another shift that comes after this age range so it is not a permanent life pattern. The more successful they are at this age with school times scheduled in accordance with their natural cycles, the more prepared and successful they’ll be as adults when their biological patterns shift again to fit more “conventional” ideas of work schedules.

Right now, kids walk to school in the winter mornings when it’s pitch black.

Sorry, comment time is over.