California became the first US state to start school day later

Some California students will be able to get enough sleep in the morning, thanks to a law signed Sunday by Governor Gavin Newsom, which obliges students to start school hours later in most public schools.

Фото: Depositphotos

The new law mentions studies that show students learn better if they start school days later than usual. This law will make California the first US state with such a requirement as soon as it is fully implemented, writes Yahoo with reference to the Los Angeles Times.

Schools will have to start the school day no earlier than 8: 00 in the morning for high schools and no earlier than 8: 30 for seniors. The innovation should be implemented before the July 1 of the 2022 year, or by the expiration date of the three-year collective agreement of the school with its employees, whichever comes later.

According to a government analysis this year, most California public schools will need to delay starting school in accordance with the new law. About 50%, you will need to delay the start time of classes by 30 minutes or less; the analysis showed that 25% of schools will have to postpone it for 31 – 60 minutes.

The law will not affect the so-called “zero lessons” or classes offered before the start of a regular school day. Rural school districts are also exempted from postponing the start of school day.

Newsom said the schools are given enough time to adapt to the new time limits, which, he said, are aimed at helping teenagers in California.

“Science shows that teens who start their day later improve their grades, attendance, and overall health,” Newsom said in a statement. “It is important to note that the law allows schools and school districts to plan and implement these changes over a three-year period.”

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Some medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the California Medical Association, supported the bill.

Describing adolescent inadequate sleep as a public health problem, a group of pediatricians told the LA Times that it "endorses the scientific rationale for the later start of schooling and recognizes the potential benefits for students regarding physical and mental health, safety, and academic achievement."

However, not everyone agreed with these statements.

Last year, former governor Jerry Brown vetoed such a law, saying that decisions about when school lessons begin are “best handled in the local community.”

Opponents of the measure, including the California Teachers Association and some school districts, echoed similar concerns.

“Teens do better when they get more sleep, but we don't believe starting school is the only way,” legislative advocate Seth Bramble said last month. — Mandatory start times for state schools would be a burdensome mandate on an issue best left to local districts and their parents. “One size fits all” doesn’t work in California.”

Critics also warn that some families, especially those from the working class, may be particularly affected by this law.

“Despite good intentions, proposals to set school start times fail to take into account the complexity of the problem and reinforce the illusion that teen sleep deprivation has a simple solution,” wrote two San Jose school superintendents, Chris Funk and Nancy Albarran.

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“Many schoolchildren are dropped off in the morning by their parents, who go to work long before the current start time of classes. Just because all districts are delaying the start of the school day will not change this reality. This will result in students getting out of bed at the same time as they currently do, but being on campus unsupervised for a longer period,” superintendents said.

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