The Florida House on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill that would back away from a requirement aimed at starting high-school classes later in the morning. The Legislature in 2023 passed a law that would prevent high schools from starting earlier than 8:30 a.m. to help teens get more sleep.
The law was slated to take effect in 2026, but many school districts said they were struggling to comply with the deadline because of issues such as a need to buy more buses and hire hard-to-find bus drivers. Also, districts said starting school later could affect students’ after-school activities and families’ child care.
The bill (SB 296) would allow districts to avoid the requirements if they submit reports to the Florida Department of Education that include information about issues such as school start times and strategies considered to have later start times for middle and high schools. House bill sponsor Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington, described the 2023 law as “well-intentioned” but pointed to the compliance issues.
But Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis, D-Ocoee, said lawmakers were warned about “unintended consequences” of the 2023 law related to issues such as a lack of bus drivers and additional costs to school districts. Under the law, middle schools could not start earlier than 8 a.m., but the issue primarily centered on high-school students. The House unanimously passed the bill, which was approved last month by the Senate. It is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
–News Service of Florida
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