Accountability: school start times

Perda: I had a good time, sorry for the heavy backup, I might have gotten carried away
I had a good time learning about
history 2000-01 when the committee took this up
Professor Wolfson, formerly of Holy Cross, now in Maryland
"pretty rare that you find...something that is so heavily one sided in one way or another"
literature from educational side, biology, economics, from other school systems
"all saying we see benefits from seeing kids start school later on"
challenge for district is how to do it
complex school system with a lot of activites and bussing and after school system
"it would take a lot to change"
"from the research you've read it, it's clear: you should do it"
Biancheria: received a number of calls on
look forward to having the discussion this evening
discussion in a process: would start the conversation, not looking for a vote today
look at pilot program for one of our schools?
"significant impact on student achievement"
duration and time of day one is expected to function
"clear that we have to look at this as something we may need to change"
shifts that people work and a change of shift
wonder what EAW would have to say; look to have what we do in the best interest our students
have input of everyone
O'Connell: US Air Force Academy moved time later
"I agree with you...all of those factors runs in favor of a later start time"
"only when you start to mix in other factors"
sports, taking care of other students, jobs working longer
"would like to see us take a focus on our academic students"
"may be most pivotal for the students that we most want to reach" (as sleep is more disturbed for more economically disadvantaged students)
"cut through issues" that may hold back
work on this over the next academic year
Novick: overwhelming evidence across the board: need to move the item forward
not social but biological: student biology shifts
more sleepiness leads to greater rates of depression
association of poor sleep habits and lower socioeconomic status
later start times: less tardiness, better attendance
coaches saw students who were less tired and more alert
students were calmer
fewer referrals
parents report children who were "easier to live with"
student did less risky behavior
fewer car accidents
Novick: recommendation of committee that move forward with discussion to implementation (with speed, adds Mr. O'Connell)
Biancheria asks that discussions start with teachers and parents
O'Connell asks that backup be referred to TLSS (but that we're taking our copies with us
Item held in Accountability, but committee encourages discussion to carry on in other subcommittees for "how it would work"