School start times to change next year per state law. What Modesto parents should know
Next school year, all California middle schools will start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. At Modesto City Schools, the logistics of transporting thousands of students means elementary school bell schedules must shift, too.
“It’s a daunting task, and a lot of people are affected,” consultant Ryan Hahn said in a virtual forum.
The changes are required per state legislation, Senate Bill 328, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in 2019.
The law’s supporters cite research saying delayed start times match adolescents’ circadian rhythms and will address chronic sleep loss, boost academic performance and improve physical and mental health.
The average teenager falls asleep past 11 p.m. and is “best suited” to wake up at 8 a.m. or later, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
But families and educators have said later start times will cause problems for working families, push back time for homework and dinner and lead to student-athletes missing more class to fit in games.
Former Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed similar legislation in 2018 as teachers and school boards called to make bell schedules a local decision, The Sacramento Bee reported. The 2019 bill was opposed by the California Teachers Association, the Association of California School Administrators and the school boards association, according to reporting by EdSource.
On Wednesday, Hahn led a virtual meeting to explain the district’s process to families and call for their input. He said he plans to organize in-person town halls in November, December or January depending on COVID-19 restrictions.
“It’s important that we really get a lot of feedback through this process,” said Hahn, who is helping the district make the changes.
The district’s middle schools already align with the new requirements. They start at 9 a.m. As of now, high schools don’t comply. They start at 7:55 a.m. or 8:05 a.m., according to bell schedules. High school students who have zero-period classes, such as leadership, start at 7 a.m. Middle school zero period currently begins just after 8 a.m.
School officials are planning for all high school first periods to start at or near 8:30 a.m., Hahn said. The district still will offer an optional zero period before the 8:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. start times, he said.
Transportation for high schools is the “most complex” because seven other districts feed into them, Hahn said. This requires the most buses of the three school levels.
“We travel all over the place to go get students,” Hahn said.
Bus rides can last up to an hour, he said. Now, the district averages 27 buses for high school students, in the low 20s for elementary and in the teens for junior highs, Hahn said. Start times for each of the three school levels are staggered to make this work.
Nearly 5,000 students rely on the district’s transportation, Hahn said.
If the district changed only high school start times, there wouldn’t be enough school buses to transport high school and elementary school students simultaneously, Hahn said. So start times for all schools must shift.
District lays out timeline
Modesto City Schools created a task force of about 20 people a year ago to advise on the creation of new bell schedules and gather opinions from parents, students and staff. Hahn said he and Associate Superintendent Tim Zearley facilitate the task force. Its membership includes principals, administrators, union representatives and a trustee.
To flesh out operational details, a smaller steering committee brings together leaders from maintenance and operations, student support services, business services and nutrition services departments. This group has met since January, Hahn said.
After seeking more feedback, school leaders will present a plan to the school board in March, Hahn said. The district will adopt a bell-time model in April, giving school leaders time to re-create bus routes and notify thousands of families affected by transportation services, he said.
Community members should submit feedback to sb328@mcs4kids.com.
This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
