• Late Start

    Bill Overview:

    In 2019, California Governor Newsom, signed Senate Bill 328, which does not allow middle schools to start before 8 am, and does not allow high schools to start before 8:30 am. Schools had until July 1, 2022 to obey and apply the new schedule unless they were deemed rural. Carmel USD is a rural school district and therefore exempt from the law.

    Senate Bill 328 is predicated on research from the American Academy of Pediatrics which found that delayed school start times align more closely with the sleep-wake cycle of teenagers, leading to better overall health and school performance. Senate Bill 328 was not supported by the California Teachers Association, the California School Boards Association, and the Association of California School Administrators due to concerns of local control and the complexity of school start times while balancing other aspects of education.

    General Considerations:

    • School scheduling is a delicate balance of resource allocation which impacts not only students, but staff, families, local residents, businesses, commuters, etc.
    • Adjustments such as this take a great deal of time and planning and should allow for representatives from each group of stakeholders a seat at the table, including marginalized families who are more likely to be impacted by such a change.
    • While the Health and Wellness Committee formed several years ago did discuss the benefits of a Late Start Schedule, considerations and details of how to implement the change were not discussed in detail nor considered at a TK-12 level.
    • Carmel USD encompasses over 600 square miles. Neighboring districts are much smaller and do not have similar transportation considerations. MPUSD is 67 square miles. PGUSD is 4 square miles.

    Resources:

    Hanover Research Priority Brief on School Start Times in Rural Districts

    CUSD Timeline:

    Summer 2022

    Board Presentations


    Fall 2022

    Board Presentations

     

    Winter 2022-23

    Board Presentations

    • Dec - Superintendent Review
    • Follow up Presentations on Implementation
    • ON HOLD - Superintendent Presentation and Board Decision

     

    Community Efforts

    Monday, December 19th at 7 p.m. - Community Zoom Town Hall on Late Start Topic

    Monday, January 23rd at 6 p.m. - Staff and Community Zoom Town Hall on Sample Schedule Options - View a recording of the town hall here