Kubow, P. K., Wahlstrom, K. L., & Bemis, A. E. (1999). Starting time and school life: Reflections from educators and students. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(5), 366-371.

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Abstract

The authors discuss the findings from a survey of teachers and from focus group meetings attended by a variety of stakeholders -- two approaches that were used to assess the impact of changing school starting times and to identify the areas of greatest concern. With the 1997-98 school year in the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) came a change in the starting time for most of the schools in the district. It appears that Minneapolis may be the first major metropolitan school district in the United States to undertake systemwide changes in school starting time based on the current research about adolescents and their sleep needs. The seven high schools changed from a 7:15 a.m. to an 8:40 a.m. start; the seven middle schools moved from 7:40 to 9:40; and the starting times for the 71 elementary schools were set at either 7:40, 8:40, or 9:40. A study is being conducted by the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota in conjunction with the MPS to ascertain the impact of changing school starting times on the educational endeavor and on the community. The findings reveal that the changes affect the various stakeholders differently and are acutely felt at the personal level.

Keywords

Adolescents, Educational Benefits, Elementary Secondary Education, Flexible Scheduling, Focus Groups, School Community Relationship, School Schedules, Sleep, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Surveys