The California Legislature will be looking at a bill that would require middle schools and high schools to start their day no earlier than 8:30 am.
The bill, called Senate Bill 328, is authored by Senator Anthony Portantino and is based on recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control.
He says the bill is something that is in the best interest of the students.
“Every school district around the country from every demographic and socioeconomic level that has moved teenage school start time later has seen a measurable, positive result for student achievement and student public health.”
Portantino cites CDC data saying that the average start time for 3 million public school students is 8:07 am.
He says that moving the start time to later, school districts would benefit as their funding is tied to attendance.
The LAUSD estimated that if they improved their current attendance rate by just 1 percent, the district would earn an additional $40 million annually.