Petition Urges Massachusetts to Change School Start Time

It’s no secret that kids need a proper amount of rest to reach their academic potential.

Between waking up early for school and staying up late doing homework, many students might not be getting an adequate night’s sleep.

A petition on MoveOn.org is campaigning to change the start times of Massachusetts high schools and middle schools to 8:30 a.m. or later.

This petition looks to gain support in the form of statewide legislation. Signatures began flooding in on Wednesday, Jan. 28 and the petition has already received more than 900 signatures. The petition will be delivered to the Massachusetts State House of Representatives, the Massachusetts State Senate and Governor Charlie Baker once there are more than 1,000 signatures.

Wayland resident Jenny Cooper Silberman and her husband wrote the petition on behalf of Start School Later Massachusetts, a national organization. Silberman has children in the middle and high schools in the Wayland School District.

Start School Later Massachusetts has local chapters in Concord, Wayland and Westborough.

• What time does your local high school start? Do you agree with this campaign? Tell us below!

The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that delaying start times of schools so students could receive at least 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep would positively affect the physical and mental health, safety and academic performances in students.

According to Start School Later Massachusetts, several schools across the state have already implemented a later start time including schools in Arlington, Duxbury, Eastham, Hingham, Marblehead, Marlborough, AMSA Charter School in Marlborough, Medway, Sharon Public Schools and Nauset High School.

After Nauset High School implemented a later school start in 2012, an analysis showed that the number of failing grades declined by 53 percent, Cape Cod Times reported.

“Momentum really seems to be building on this issue,” Silberman said.

Anna Bytnar from Natick signed the petition and wrote, “Kids have sports till late and the amount of homework is incredible. That extra time could be beneficial to their health.”

Studies have shown that a good nights sleep has the ability to reduce the risk of obesity, lower the rate of depression and prevent vehicle crashes due to drowsiness, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics

One petition signer believes that teens need more sleep. “The heavy homework load means going to bed early is not an option,” wrote Deborah Pierce from Newton when she signed the petition. “Working parents need the extra morning rest too!”

Learn more about the petition to Start Massachusetts middle and high schools after 8:30 a.m.

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