The Flagler County school district is working toward exempting itself from a state law that requires middle and high school start times to be no earlier than 8 and 8:30 a.m. by mid-2026. An amendment to the law allows districts to opt out of the time change if they can show evidence that the change isn’t favored. The district is collecting that evidence.
“I truly believe in the science of more sleep,” Flagler School Board member Lauren Ramirez said. “But I feel that our infrastructure may not be built for it, at least not yet.”
In 2023 lawmakers passed a bill (HB733) requiring middle school start times to be no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools no earlier than 8:30. The requirement is in line with an American Academy of Pediatrics finding that adolescents are better off sleeping later in the morning.
Start time at Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School is 8:10 a.m. At Indian Trails and Buddy Taylor Middle, it’s 7:30. For elementary schools, it’s 9:10 a.m. In essence, Flagler County’s start times are in reverse order of that recommended by the science: younger students do better early, adolescents need more sleep.
According to a legislative analysis of the 2023 bill, “The AAP also recognizes that insufficient sleep in adolescents is an important public health issue which affects the health, safety, and academic success of middle and high school students. According to the AAP, a key modifiable contributor to insufficient sleep in adolescents is early school start times.”
The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, required districts to be in compliance by July 2026, or in time for the 2026-27 school year. The state appropriated all of $5 million, a relative pittance, to the 67 districts and to charter schools to help implement the changes.
In Flagler County, the board has been divided on the issue, weighing scientific evidence and the health of students against the convenience of parents and with district finances. Even though its student population has been flat for years, the district reduced its bus routes 32 percent (from 84 to 57) between October 2018 and October 2022. Later start times would require more routes. (Ridership declined 16 percent between 2018 and 2022.)
Later start times make it more difficult on working parents, Christy Chong, now the board chair, has argued, because it would mean earlier start times for elementary-age students, and therefore longer stays for them at extended-day, the afterschool program. And if anything, the local school board two years ago wanted to move start times earlier, not later.
Chong wasn’t an exception. Lawmakers got a lot of pushback from across the state. Earlier this year the Legislature amended the law to allow school districts to bypass the requirement, as long as they met certain conditions. The new law (SB 296) requires districts that don’t want to comply with the 2023 mandate to submit reports to the Florida Department of Education about their strategies, what local parents and faculty think, what public hearings were held to inform the public and hear opinions, how the change would affect district finances, what unintended consequences there may be.
The district has been checking off those reports.
Key to the exemption the district is seeking is a survey of parents and faculty through its “ParentSquare,” the closed portal that allows students, parents and faculty to communicate. The district disseminated the same survey to the public at large through social media. The surveys were online only. The survey drew 1,933 responses, mostly from parents and guardians. A quarter of them were Flagler school employees, with many of those being parents as well.
Assistant Superintendent Angela O’Brien presented the survey results to the school board at a workshop last Tuesday.
“It looks like they will not be changing the times at all in Flagler,” district spokesperson Don Foley, who’s worked with O’Brien on the initiative, said.
A plurality of respondents say a change in start times would be disruptive both at the beginning of the day and for extracurricular activities, and that it would complicate transportation during rush hour and add costs. But a plurality also said it would not cause them to change schools or jobs.
Yet a majority of respondents say a change in start times would allow their child to get enough sleep on school nights, and the same majority says it would not be disruptive to the child’s home life. Opinions were more split regarding disruptions in extracurricular activities.
Notably, few students say that a change in start time would allow them to get more sleep, but most say it would disrupt their home life and a plurality say it would affect their extracurriculars.
“Some folks said that there would be a conflict with their work schedule, particularly in the morning,” O’Brien said. “High school students who have after-school jobs or participate in extracurricular activities, that was noted as an impact more for the parents and employees than the students.”
Some respondents suggested the middle school start times are too early and should be swapped with high school times.
A large majority–68 to 70 percent–of respondents oppose mixing students from different age groups in the same buses. They would prefer elementary-age students not be mixed with middle or high school students, or high school students to be mixed in with middle school students. A fifth to a quarter of respondents would support mixing middle and high school students, but not elementary and high school students.
Board member Janie Ruddy proposed looking at organizing start times based on schools’ feeder patterns. For example, Old Kings Elementary, Indian Trails Middle and Matanzas High School could have their own sets of start times, while Bunnell Elementary, Buddy Taylor and Flagler Palm Coast High School would have a different pattern. Superintendent LaShakia Moore thought that might require additional bus routes, not fewer.
The idea is to acknowledge the science and to inform parents about it, “but also as a community we have to identify what is possible for us as far as being able to get those schedules aligned,” the superintendent said. “This is not a new discussion to our community. They voiced over the years that there is not a desire at this time to make the swap to have elementary starting earlier.”
Deborah Coffey says
It is becoming pretty obvious that most of today’s Republicans don’t care about anyone but themselves. The fish rots from the head.
Endless dark money says
Could it be the treasonous republicans defunded public schools and schools systems need money to run appropriately. Having different age kids starting 3 hours apart is great for working families lol.maybe get some stolen money back by republican fraudster schools that never opened….. or ask racist rons wife’s company for a loan of some pubic dollars!! Corrupt much?
JimboXYZ says
Every human being needs 8 hours of sleep, what does it matter, when anyone gets those 8 hours of sleep ? That’s the science of it all. This seems to be a matter of better time management. Rearranging the school hours cuts into the “play time” that ever student needs to be healthy for that. Again, a time management thing. Not sure if parents are on top of the stricter bed time, teaching the children to better manage their waking hours ?
And one may ask how I’m a sleep expert ? True story, as a caregiver, back in the day of 24 hour Walmart, I took on the stock associate role. Worked from 10 PM to 7 AM with the hour for middle of the night meal that many would consider a lunch break, & 15 minute breaks that Corporate Walmart offers for employment. End of the day, it mattered little whether I slept 8-9 AM-4-5 PM every day as a night shift work schedule vs the 1st shift and sleeping from 10PM-6 AM3time slot of any given day. What was the hardest part of that schedule as a caregiver ? Being cycled in & out for the 4 days of work, going from diurnal & nocturnal lifestyle. I did that for 2 years taking care of a 94-96+ year old father & his 16-18+ year old dog. I was available for their daily routines too, any emergency that would cut into my night of sleep. For me it work/sleep (life balance) was a matter of optimized time management. As long as I was well rested for sleep, it didn’t matter what time I did anything, I could even be available to adapt to a geriatric human & dog’s daily cycle & function with the same cognitive function & level as I always could. At one stretch Walmart worked me 8-9 straight days for a night shift job. My perceptions were that my breakfast became another’s dinner feeding. After sleeping, my breakfast coincided with a dinner for another. And at midnight I was eating my lunch. Snacks were as required during my waking hours. To cycle in & out of that every 4 days is what is hard on the system. A student should have less of a problem with that cycle process of adapting to an on demand schedule, than say a middle aged/senior citizen aged human being. How do I know that & assert that ? Lived a similar lifestyle at various points along the way for a career, long before being a caregiver. Usually those were the economic recessions (Clinton => Bush => Obama). I suspect many experienced similar for at least 8 months of 2020 for Covid (Trump =>Biden). Longer term unemployment stints, marginally employed for the lies of Corporations & Government.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Kids 6-12 in age need between 9 and 12 hours of sleep a day and 13-18 in age need 8-10. I’m guessing either you’ve never had kids, you weren’t active enough in the parenting process to do the legwork on understanding sleep cycles in children, or you’re old enough that the established research on sleep patterns in children hadn’t been done yet. You’re also attaching adult expectations to children in your reply. That doesn’t work, has never worked, and is generally discouraged because it sets you both up for failure.
Honestly, what needs to happen is a top down rethink on how education fits into kid’ lives. The issue here is that the educational model in the states isn’t built around modern learning processes but around the adult workday.
I’m expecting some of the replies from the older generation to this post to be “it worked for me, and that’s what’s wrong with this generation.” Trust me, you’re doing some major projection there and we understand kids way better now.
JimboXYZ says
Me, I was an active child K-12. Played every season of the year for football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis/racquetball, golf (we had the hand carts back in the day, no EV cart) & swimming,. If you ever attended Seabreeze Jr High School, a sport called roof ball. Didn’t ride a bus to school, for Lenox Elementary, that was a daily bike ride, rain or shine, parents didn’t drop us off at school. I recall the summer before, parents walked us that route, showed us how to get safely across Silver Beach & South Peninsula in Daytona Beach, FL. Other sports, surfing, weightlifting & running. I didn’t need 9-12 hours of sleep at any point K-12.
Any teachers that had a nap time in class ? I always felt they were taking a break themselves for whatever motives they had. Myself & many kids in those K-3/4 couldn’t & wouldn’t sleep for that nap period. i always thought the teachers that had naps for class inactivity, needed that more than the kids did. Imagine being an obese teacher & trying to keep up with 25-30 hyperactive children 5 days a week ? Teachers are outnumbered for that, the usual troublemakers & it was all they could do to keep up with those kids. It was all my own Mother could do to keep up with the 3 boys in our family.
The dogs we had as family pets, took them for runs in the trails after school. As for classmates my age in my neighborhood ? I was a “tweener” age, that is I was between the eldest & youngest. So in competitions for sports I was motivated to compete against children that were 2,3-5 years older than I was. The youngest, there was no challenge, they were at least 2 years younger than I was. Anyone same grade & age, I had to ride a bicycle to where they lived for sandlot football & anything else active. Even post college, I was always doing something long distance on a bike. Probably why I still do metric centuries to this day. Have been doing those since 2010.
I doubt that anyone understands kids better today than they ever did ? That would mean our parents were never children. That I was never a child. I’m just saying, I see all the students getting dropped off at school by their parents ? Are they cripples ? Stupid ? The school is where it is, that isn’t going to change & either their parents don’t trust them enough or even care that they don’t skip classes or entire days of school. 7-12, I was a perfect attendance student at Seabreeze Jr & Spruce Creek High School. Never skipped a single class. Never was tardy either. Parents told us that when the class started, that we were to be in our assigned desk, learning materials prepared for that lesson plan for the class. And our homework was on time as well, none of us ever needed an extension, good or bad, that was deadline, that was the grade we were going to get with our own work. Quite often I was “top N” for any subject that set the grade curve for the entire class. too many children today lack discipline. See, the grade scale was 4.0, there was no 4+ grade. 100% was a 100% Advanced Program courses, if one was getting some type of college credit, that was the reward there, it was separate from HS curriculum.
That was also a time/era without email or text messages. My parents ever got a message from the school that any of us was not in attendance of a class, that phone call was handled at home by Mom & Dad. Older brother bucked the system, he wasn’t fooling anyone for skipping HS classes to go surfing at Ponce Inlet. There were times that the parents made him park his 1st car for going surfing like that, he rode the bus. In a lot of ways, the older brother got with the wrong crowd in HS. Me, I had my routine and I was constantly challenging myself, not only to stay out of trouble, but improve myself. I was a pretty good kid, wasn’t the valedictorian of anything, but the valedictorian was always in my sights. I think that kid was actually getting coached/given answers to tests. Especially when my test scores were better than theirs. I used to beat Father Lopez HS’s Valedictorian at chess, enough that he didn’t want to play chess with me any more. Public vs Private school thing, which is very similar to the whining I hear for public vs voucher school.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
After reading that my guess is that you don’t have kids or you weren’t an involved parent.
Laurel says
Samuel L. Bronkowitz: You are wrong about the “older generation,” but there seems to be many convenient misconceptions these days.
JimboXYZ: The science of it is that the sleep experts now know there are early sleepers early risers, later sleepers later risers, and those who are awake all night and sleep during the day. Nature perfected this system in order to keep the clan safe with someone always on watch. Early humans could not afford to all be asleep at the same time, being vulnerable to attack. Unfortunately, modern society wants conformity, and doesn’t understand this arrangement, the late sleepers, and especially the day sleepers suffer for it.
“I take my whisky neat,
My coffee black and my bed at three…”
Science also knows that children tend to be the late sleepers, and need more hours. Most grow out of it, but some do not. This current societal attitude is for the convenience of adults, and not children.
Samuel L. Bronkowitz says
Interesting, considering that my original reply said “I’m expecting some of the replies from the older generation to this post to be “it worked for me, and that’s what’s wrong with this generation.”” and that was exactly what JimboXYZ replied with.
Laurel says
I guess people can be different, regardless of age.
Lock them up says
Chong the one that said schools are no longer safe from republican discrimination! She licked racist rons boot hard to get elected by the cult. Card board box would be a better fit for the position.
Sherry says
When you consider that many Maga Republicans do NOT believe in “science”, this decision seems correct to them. A la “Blazing Saddles”. . . “Science? We don’t need no stinking Science”. . . right Maga!
Actually the original words work perfectly for ICE= “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges”! Kinda funny, but NOT really!
exasperated says
I think the “badges” quote came from the movie “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”. But “Blazing Saddles” does have a quote that is also appropriate:
Using Common Sense says
The political comments are unnecessary and irrelevant. Greed knows no boundaries, it comes in blue, red, and purple. I am not surprised at all by this. Flagler County has already proven that they DO NOT CARE about the safety, health, and welfare of our children and families. They talk a good game, throw artificial accolades to the worst offenders, and gaslight with fervor. Flagler County has known the harmful health effects of unmitigated excessive nuisance noise and toxic piston engine training aircraft emissions on our children for years, yet still allow the safety, health, and welfare of local families to be compromised. Truly sad and completely unacceptable to refuse to initiate policies and protections for local residents when all competent sources report the known risks to local residents and especially to our CHILDREN!
William says
Republicans literally starve children in Gaza and at home. Don’t pretend they are the same. The murderous pedo hates educated people. here in Fl republicans defunded public schools!Republicans cancelled kids cancer research! They need to be held responsible for their crimes. Including racist ron and his wife stealing millions of dollars that should go to public causes not Casey’s private company. Lock the gop terrorist up!
Santa's Elf says
Liberals and science… You know… the party of Tim McBride, infinite genders, their “Justice” who can’t tell you what a woman is… Tampons in men’s rooms, Greta “The World is ending in 10 years,” ….. These same liberals ask to be taken seriously about what kids need? The same liberals fighting to literally end kid’s lives even after birth… But don’t worry… The doc said the baby will be kept comfortable! No worries at all! Hey… Same Liberals who tell you that you’re not a doctor so you don’t get an opinion on covid… but worship at the alter of Bill Gates b/c he really just wants you to get the shots to help the earth! But wait… he’s not a doctor?
Whatever… No one with a brain takes them seriously.
Let’s def have the discussion on kids and school … As soon as you all figure out what a woman is.
Until then… Keep begging for money Flagler Live… My favorite time of year! They publish literal trash all year… Nothing they say is backed on facts or common sense… No one reads or cares…They are in the red… But def not too proud to beg for that dollar bill! Maybe Santa will bring you some money… and who knows… maybe even more genders to choose from!
Sherry says
@santa’s elf. . . why are you here? Clearly you do not like or support “award winning” Flaglerlive! Why should we suffer the comments of such a lie laundering parasite?
Please go post your despicable comments on some website that appreciates such complete garbage! Thanks!
Laurel says
Santa’s Elf: I think you need to take a nap.
Go to bed kids says
Okay okay early start times, yea. But can we talk about early bed times please?? Why — WHY does society depend on everyone else to clean up their mess. You CAN wake up at 3am fully charged and ready to go if you go to bed EARLY. It’s called parenting.
;-)
Omg says
That comment was so stupid, I think you just gave me cancer.
And I live in PC which has given me a very high tolerance for stupidity.
Excellent article as always – quality reporting and the community doesn’t likely understand fully how important you are and this site is.
This is more city mismanagement and greed by the local GOP.
They upgrade our water system to handle the secret data center utility needs and don’t want to discuss what that will do to our area and property value but aim to cut school even more.
They will milk this community dry for every penny until nothing is left.
The poorer families attending schools here can pay for the C section canals but not to ensure their children have a future.
Not to mention no public services from roads, sidewalks to hospitals worth a dam or quality employment opportunities anywhere in sight or even supported by the city leadership.
All the while corruption reigns supreme to the point of sheriffs getting off easy when breaking numerous laws in Ormund only serve as a recent example.
This is no place for a family. It’s a city for the very old and very ignorant. Which is why comments like this fit right in here.
Go to bed kids says
While you have a right to your opinion, as do I — I would like to point out that at least my opinion did not ramble on and on and on about stuff that has NOTHING, zero, to do with the article. I am though, just so sorry to hear about your recent cancer diagnosis.
CPFL says
OMG….more like WTF!!!! You call someone out then ramble on and on off topic. Why all the 1 liners? Maybe put down the glass pipe and stop posting off the wall hot garbage that makes a person lose IQ points from reading it!!!
K says
Some 30 years ago when I was in school, the high school kids started early, 7am, and finished early, 2pm. Reasoning was high school kids often had to care for the younger kids once they got home, or had jobs of their own to go to. I personally thought it was my own hell, as I often ran into school as the morning bell rang and only had the afternoons for extracurriculars or homework/tv time.
However seeing elementary school kids getting picked up on the side of the road at 8:30am for their 9am class is absolutely crazy. Most working parents would usually be in the office before then, I know mine would of!
Palm Coast Citizen says
I think this is more of a logistical nightmare for transportation than it is a lack of concern about sleep. Kids and youth need more sleep than they can get. To be at a bus stop at 6:30 means bed time at 7 pm for adequate sleep, and that’s not floating with any normal teen.
That said, there are two middle schools and two high schools for the geographical expanse of Flagler County. This is the issue. People criticize things that could work–like K-8, but really, students do better in middle school years when they have that, AND, they’re closer to their communities because there are more schools. We almost went in this direction, but maybe funding was an issue.
It’s the logistics that are the problem.
Laurel says
Wow! People went all over the place with responses!
Anyway, as an elementary school kid, I had little problem getting up early and riding my bike to school. I don’t remember too much about Junior High School being a problem, but I definitely had a real hard time in High School! I was supposed to catch the bus, at the end of my block, at 7am. If that was accomplished half the time, it would have been amazing! My mom often had to take me to school.
As an adult, I tended to work until 11pm, 2am, and even 4am, then, went out to breakfast with my coworkers, before heading home and going to sleep. Later on, I got an office job, and rarely made it to work by 7am. Please don’t talk to me until 8am. My boss put up with it because I was good at what I did, but it was really hard for me. I love retirement!
Point is, we are all different by nature, and we need to recognize that. If a kid, especially a teen, is having difficulty adapting to society’s norm, we need to consider that. Making these kids suffer in order for us to feel better prevents them from learning as best they could.
Mark s says
So its obvious then that school is more for parents convenience rather than for students education. So basicly high-school is just a big Daycare to watch your kids while your at work.