Denver Schools Approve Later Start Times For Middle And High-Schoolers

The Denver school board voted to push back middle and high schools start times to 8:20 A.M. or later, reports Chalkbeat.

School officials came to the decision on Thursday, May 20. The change will take effect starting in 2022.

The vote was unanimous despite several board members expressing concern that the start time change's main supporters were affluent families.

Out of the 5,000 survey responses, less than 40 came from families enrolled in four Denver high schools located in working-class neighborhoods, reports Chalkbeat.

"The voices of my community members haven't been heard," said board members Angela Cobián, a representative for southwest Denver.

The effect later start times will have on each middle and high school will vary. Some schools already start later and some start as early as 7:30 A.M.

Elizabeth Stock, the district's director of research and evaluation, said families who supported the start time change cited benefits like teenagers getting more sleep and being more alert at school.

Other families expressed concerns that students would have less time for after-school activities and later start times would make it difficult for parents who start work earlier in the morning.

Chalkbeat reports one-third of all survey responses came from families at East High School, McAuliffe International Middle School, Denver School of the Arts middle and high school, and Northfield High School.

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