While buzzing alarm clocks and nagging mothers may seem commonplace for high school students with early school day starts, research conducted by a team at the University of Minnesota reveals the benefits of reversing these trends.
According to a February 2014 study by the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI), high schools which began at 8:30 a.m. or later reported higher grades, attendance, participation and standardized test results than those that started at 7 or 7:15 a.m.
The research team tested over 9,000 high school students for three years at eight schools in three states, including Park.
According to Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom, the director of CAREI and the study, St. Louis Park significantly benefited from the later start times instituted by the administration in 2009.
Former assistant principal Clarence Pollock said attitude improved after the school adopted the later start time as suggested by Wahlstrom and her team.
“After (start) times were changed students were much more awake,” Pollock said. “There was also a significant decrease in disciplinary incidents in the morning.”
Another important aspect revealed by the study is the reduction of car crashes before school from later start times.
Sophomore Jonah Kupritz, who drives roughly 15 minutes to school everyday from Golden Valley, said the later start time improves his safety getting to school.
“I feel less rushed in the morning and can get a good night sleep,” Kupritz said. “The later times make it a lot safer to drive before school on the highway.”
For freshman George Simon, who buses 30-45 minutes to school everyday, the later times help him prepare for the day.
“It’s easier to sleep more and get to school earlier to do homework done,” Simon said.
One aspect of the study coincides with 2010 findings published by Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics which showed pushing start times back 25 minutes increased the percentage of students who slept eight or more hours a night, the recommended amount.
Wahlstrom said because of the body’s developing biology during teenage years, students sleeping at least eight hours are more likely to perform well in school.
“Schools that start at 7:15 or 7:30 a.m. are already interrupting natural sleep cycles as attention and memory are dependent on the amount of sleep you get,” Wahlstrom said. “You short change your sleep you will short change what you learn.”
Some students, like junior Emily Weinberg, participate in zero-hour classes like concert choir, which start at 7:30 or 7:45 a.m. every day of the school week. Weinberg said she thinks the later times allow students flexibility in their schedules.
“Zero-hour is a good option for students with full schedules since its a smaller group that is more attentive,” Weinberg said. “The school definitely should not make times earlier and I do not think the current time is even late enough.”