Thoughts after a successful Later School Start
School districts across the country are beginning to realize the benefits of a later school start time. Many studies show that students perform better when they are allowed to get more sleep. Their changing biology adjusts their natural sleep cycle to 11 PM or later, and makes it almost impossible to get the requisite eight hours of sleep.
There is significant evidence that chronic adolescent sleep loss is a critical youth public health issue that schools can play a significant role in addressing.
At the beginning of the 2017 – 2018 school year, our school district committed to study and formulate a recommendation that successfully developed a plan to accomplish the recommended 55 minute late start for our high school students. With many school districts exploring the opportunity, the information we gathered may provide help with school transportation concerns and experiences we encountered.
To meet our district’s goal we needed to develop a comprehensive plan for managing student transportation, which had to include a detailed analysis of the current school bus schedules and how it could be adjusted to accommodate a later school start.
From a Transportation perspective: Our challenge when adjusting school bus schedules, was to consider the cost of running the buses. This includes the cost of fuel, maintenance, and personnel.
School districts may need to recruit additional bus drivers or purchase additional buses in order to accommodate the new start times. Drivers are the most expensive component, as they must be paid salary and benefits. Both of these costs can add up quickly and must be taken into account when looking at the overall transportation costs. It is important to ensure that the cost of running the buses is covered by the district and that there is enough funding to provide the necessary transportation services.
During many meetings with the Superintendent, Administrators, and Community members we developed several observations that help guide us to successful outcomes.
Observation 1 -While the benefits are well-documented, there is opposition against delaying school times across the U.S.
A major argument is the claim that delaying school start times will result in significant additional costs due to changes in transportation, such as rescheduling bus routes.
Observation 2 – The most complicated decision that transportation and administrators face is seemingly the most innocuous: determining what time each school in the district should start in the morning and end in the afternoon.
Observation 3 – Bell times are flawed because they have remained static while school demographics have evolved,
Observation 4 – School districts have no hope of satisfying all or even most of their constituents
School bus transportation obstacles may seem like a daunting challenge, but there are viable solutions that schools can implement to provide a later school start. By investing in technology, optimizing bus routes and schedules, and implementing a later school start time, schools can ensure that their students arrive on time and ready to learn.
Technology: School districts should also consider how they can use technology to maximize efficiency when managing student transportation. For example, they can utilize digital tracking systems to track the location of school buses and monitor student arrivals. This will enable school districts to quickly identify delays and take steps to ensure that students arrive at their destination on time.
A solution is to invest in technology that can help optimize bus routes and schedules with GPS tracking systems to monitor the location of their buses and adjust their routes in real-time based on traffic conditions.
Additionally, schools can use software programs that can help them optimize their bus schedules, ensuring that students are picked up and dropped off on time.
Communication: Consider the impact on the local community. Parents and community members may need to adjust schedules to accommodate for additional traffic at a later time. The school district should work closely with the local community to make sure everyone is on board. Clear communication will keep parents and students informed and allow a better understanding of how the school district is managing for a later start. By developing a comprehensive plan, efficient communication, and utilizing technology, school districts can successfully manage student transportation for a later start.
Successfully implementing a later school start time will be a combination of strong leadership, effective communication, and a commitment to putting the needs of students first. While there may be obstacles and challenges to overcome, there is no doubt that the benefits of a later start time are well worth the effort.
