Should SHS adopt later start times?

The debate about whether high schools should have later start times has been ongoing for many years, and studies have shown that schools shouldn't start earlier than 8:30 a.m. So, why hasn’t Summit High School adopted this practice?

Studies suggest that later school start times benefit student health and academic performance.

By Carson Earnest

Mar. 7, 2025

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. A later school start time would help students get more hours of sleep, which has been proven to boost academic performance, improve mental health, and increase attendance rates, among other benefits. In fact, a study conducted by the Stanford Center on Longevity revealed that greater amounts of sleep had a strong correlation with higher scores in a chemistry class. Sleep is essential for memory development, helping neural pathways develop to absorb and retain information. It also benefits basic cognitive functions including creativity, focus, and problem-solving, which are all fundamental for successful learning and test-taking. 

The effects of more sleep on mental health have also proven to be extremely positive. Deeper cycles of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep help the brain to balance hormones, which is highly critical for mood regulation, and lowering the overall feelings of stress and anxiety. 

Additional research has found that later start times directly correlate with better attendance rates as well.

While the pros to later start times are convincing, there are many setbacks to the change. For example, the school day would have to go longer into the afternoon, further pushing after-school extracurricular activities back. This could include clubs, jobs, sports practice, and homework time.  Because of this, some students prefer their current schedules. 

So, why hasn’t Summit High School switched to a later start time, despite the increasing evidence of positive impacts? While there are definitely benefits to a different schedule, the logistics and challenges that arise with a change like this may explain the opposition to a later start time.