Burritt 1

Stephanie Burritt

Mrs. Cramer

Period: 7

24 March 2017

School Start Times

For most teenagers in the United States, school starts before eight thirty in the morning.

Everybody knows how important school is and how a good education can benefit people, but

how are students getting a good education if they are too tired to participate or remember the

information? Most students wake up at least an hour early to get ready for school. Some of the

students participate in after school activities, whether they are sports or clubs, and stay after

school until six p.m. When students finally get home, they have to eat dinner and then work on

homework for several hours. Students go to bed late, wake up the next day tired, and try to go

through the same routine. After a few days of sleep deprivation, they can forget about it. The

brain is not as sharp as it should be and remembering any information will be difficult. The days

start to run together and by the end of the week students are very exhausted and barely know

their own name.1 Most students spend their weekends trying to catch up on the homework that

they got behind on. I feel that the students are stressed out enough and we really need to help

them. Therefore, I believe schools should start around nine a.m. for teenagers. This would help

the students be better prepared for a lengthy day with a good nights sleep. A study done by the

University of Minnesota showed that schools that start later in the morning are better for the

students. Students are in better moods and there are less absences and tardiness in the classes.

One mother commented that her son struggled to wake up daily for school and was often tardy

1 Hyperbole- this exaggeration is used to emphasis how students are exhausted

from waking up early and staying up late.
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but with the change in the time he is remarkably better and gets to school on time. What a

difference it really made on this teenager. (St. George) Just by moving the start time by twenty

minutes.

One way to help them would be to start school later maybe around nine a.m. If the student goes

to bed at eleven p.m. they would get nine hours of sleep. Our body is like a battery. People need

sleep to recharge themselves so they are ready for the next day.2 Teens that receive the proper

amount of sleep benefit with better health, safety, and better grades. The lack of sleep is linked

to increased risk of depression, car accidents and other problems.(Debate) Their safety is at risk

because a small amount of sleep causes the individual to be less focused. More than 2700 teens

die in car crashes each year. (Wahlstrom) I wonder how many of those accidents were related

to sleep deprivation. A person who is sleep-deprived has reduced reaction times, slower eye

movement, and decreased ability to make quick decisions. (Wahlstrom) Anyone who is driving

when they are extremely exhausted is a danger on the road and not just to themselves, but to

everyone.

The decreased absences or tardiness will allow students more learning time because they are

more alert and focused during the class. They will be able to learn and recall the information

given to them throughout the day. Studies show that students will be in a better mood. They will

be less depressed and less dependent on any substance.

Studies showed that students received better grades when school starts later. For example,

Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming showed significant increases in grade point averages in

all first period courses for all semesters in all grades. (Wahlstrom) The evidence showed the

2 Simile- this compares the human body to a battery. After a long day, our brain and
body can no longer function without sleep just like a battery.
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later the start time the better the grades. Better grades not only help the students when applying

for college, it helps the school as well. Better grades mean higher test scores for the school and

the school could receive more funding from the state because of those higher test scores. The

teachers would feel better about the future of their students. A study showed that delaying the

start of school times by one hour increased standardized test scores by at least two percentile

points in math and one percentile point in reading. (Edwards) The students that had below

average test scores seemed to benefit the most from the delay. Their grades improved and it gave

them a sense of pride.

The study showed that the students that received eight hours or more of sleep had ewer

behavioral problems. They were happier, drank less, smoked less and used fewer drugs. Because

the students get more sleep, they become more productive and a better person. Students would be

more cooperative and less violent. The teachers could focus more on the education and less on

behavioral problems. The school itself would benefit with less violence. It would be a healthier

environment for the staff, students, and volunteers. Parents that have their child go to school later

state that their child is easier to live with. (Wahlstrom) It makes parenting a little easier too.

The school would not have to worry about children being home alone as much because

the student would be getting out an hour later and some parents would be home from work by

then. Studies show that the children that go to school later watch less television and spend more

time doing their homework.

I believe that we should change the daily start time of the schools because it has proven

to me that it does benefit the students physical and mental health. The students would be able to

get more rest and be better prepared. The students would be kinder, smarter, more focused, and
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more likely to succeed. A good nights sleep leads to increases in: memory and learning,

attention span, emotional regulation, mental health, well-being, and weight control.

Everyone knows that most teenagers are night owls. They like to stay up all night and

sleep as long as they can in the day. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that

schools start at 8:30 or later. They believe that it will help the childrens sleep patterns. The

American Medical Association (AMA) encourages reasonable start times for schools and asks

that schools do not start earlier than 8:30 a.m. William E. Kobler, AMA board member, stated

that sleep deprivation is a growing public health issue affecting our nations adolescents, putting

them at risk for mental, physical and emotional distress and disorders. (Wahlstrom)

People are now realizing that teenagers are not lazy. They are just at a time in their lives

where they need more sleep to develop than the adults do. After all, they are still growing and

need a proper nights sleep. Sleep is very important- I repeat- sleep is very important.3 We as a

community need to ask what are best for these students and what we can do to help with the

current situation? Will it affect the students? In addition, if the answer is yes, then why are we

not doing it?

3 Diacope- This rhetorical term is used to express how important sleep is.
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References

Edwards, Finely. Do Schools Begin Too Early? Education Next. N.p., 25 Dec. 2016. Web. 13

Mar. 2017.

Later School Start Times Promote Adolescent Well-Being. School Start Times (n.d.): n. pag.

American Psychological Association, 2014. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

St. George, Donna. Debate over School Start Times Flares Anew. The Washington Post. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

Wahlstrom, Kyla L. Later start times for teens improves grades, moods, and safety.

EBSCOhost. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.