Montgomery County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joshua Starr recently recommended that the county move back the start time for high schools by 50 minutes.  If the change were to take place, high schools would begin their day at 8:15 a.m. and end the day at 3 p.m.

According to the MCPS press release on the topic, Dr. Starr’s recommendation is “based on the findings of the 2013 Bell Times Work Group, which studied the issue around school starting and end times for more than 9 months.”

Dr. Starr, in the MCPS press release, stated, “I am making this recommendation because I believe it is in the best interests of our students. There is extensive research that demonstrates that adolescents are simply not getting enough sleep. This is a public health and safety issue: If we are truly committed to the well-being of our students, we must consider the feasibility of adjusting our start times to support their health and success.”

In addition to altering the high school start time, the recommendation called for changes in the start time for middle school – from 7:55 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. – and the extension of the school day for elementary schools by 30 minutes.