In a typical Frisco ISD school week, students are at school from 9 a.m. to 4:25 p.m., Monday through Friday. Add in extracurriculars, and the day gets even longer. With the current start times, students and staff are stuck staying at school later too.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, high schools should not start before 8:30 a.m., as research shows that later start times significantly improve student health, well-being, and academic performance by allowing adolescents to get more sleep.
However, if high school were to start just 30 minutes earlier, students and staff alike would be able to leave campus around 3:40 meaning there is more time for other activities and work after the school day. This could also apply for middle and elementary school, keeping the times proportionate but allowing for more time out of school during the day. As mentioned by LancasterOnline, starting school just one hour earlier can give kids more time after school to get more sleep, finish work and make time for leisure activities.
More than 80% percent of students participate in extracurriculars, including fine arts, school sports, and clubs according to College Board. Since school ends so late, students are forced to stay out late in order to participate in such activities. After practices, rehearsals, club meetings, and other events, students are unable to go home until a late hour which can cause a lot of stress. This can impact students’ work, rest, and mental health.
On top of this, school work takes a large amount of time. According to the Child Mind Institute, the best time for students to do homework is early in the evening, however this is interrupted by later start times. After getting home, many people have assignments and homework from multiple classes to complete. However, since many students only get home around 5, this leads to later sleep times. While they are able to slightly catch up on this lost rest in the morning, many students feel tired or are unable to work efficiently during the school day.
Additionally, since students are on campus so late, staff must stay as well. According to Business Insider, teachers stay at least around an hour later than students. This means by the time teachers make it home, they may not have time to relax or do leisure activities. A lot of people forget that teachers are here just as much as students, and this can be exhausting for them as well.
Finally, having a balance between school/work and relaxation is vital to maintaining a positive environment for all those who are involved.
