The first bell rings early for Pittsburgh school district kids. Some students are expected to be in their seats by 7:15 a.m., forcing many to wait outside for school buses or public transportation in the dark, early morning hours.
In Pennsylvania’s second largest district, 10 schools start at 7:15 a.m. — including four high schools, four 6-12 schools, South Hills 6-8 and the Student Achievement Center. The schools have one of the earliest start times in Allegheny County.
But that could change as a group of parents urges the district to change start times to later in the morning, something they say would not only allow children to sleep longer but that would also improve student outcomes.
“Teenagers biologically speaking are not prepared to be successful in the classroom at 7:15 in the morning,” said parent Cristina Ruggiero, whose daughter will be a freshman at Allerdice next year. “So we are actually doing a disservice to our children – who we’re trying to provide the best education that we can – by setting them up to fail at the beginning of the day.”
At Pittsburgh Public, parents first advocated for the change as students returned to in-person learning after the pandemic. Despite a petition garnering almost 1,100 signatures, the conversation “went nowhere,” parent Jeff Bigham said. But 12 parents recently revisited the topic and have spoken at school board meetings over the past three months.
District officials did not immediately have information on the topic.
“If it’s a move toward progress, let's do 7:20 next year and then let’s do 7:50,” Mr. Bigham said. “I think we should do whatever we can. Every minute counts.”
The push for later start times at Pittsburgh Public mirrors a national debate that has taken place for years. The idea has seen a resurgence as districts shift their focus to student mental health following the pandemic.
In Pennsylvania 33 out of 500 school districts have changed their hours, according to Start School Later, a coalition dedicated to raising awareness about the relationship between sleep and school hours. That includes several Allegheny County districts such as Avonworth, Hampton Township, Pine-Richland, Quaker Valley and Woodland Hills. Upper St. Clair also recently joined the list after the school board voted last week to start school 30 minutes later.
States such as California and Florida are also requiring schools to open later.
But as schools consider making the change, many face challenges such as ensuring the timing of sports and after school activities line up with those from competing districts. School officials also have to adjust transportation schedules, which typically follow a tiered system, allowing districts to rely on fewer buses and drivers. Tighter schedules may require districts to depend on more resources at high costs.
Still, the move toward later start times is largely based on studies showing that when students get more sleep there is less absenteeism, more alertness in the classroom, higher grades and SAT scores, lower rates of depression and fewer car accidents.
And for pediatrician Trina Peduzzi, who has an 8- and 13-year-old in Pittsburgh Public, later start times are especially beneficial to teenagers who “have pubertal reasons for why they’re not falling asleep early at night,” she said. During puberty, circadian rhythm – the physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle – is altered, typically delaying sleeping and waking times.
“Starting at 7:15 is just not going to allow for the sufficient sleep that adolescents and teenagers need,” Ms. Peduzzi said.
For Mr. Bigham, who founded the group “7:15 is too early,” the idea of later start times is one “that isn’t controversial,” he said. “Everyone agrees it would be good for kids to start later.”
Mr. Bigham, who has four kids, one of whom is a seventh grader, previously met with Superintendent Wayne Walters and the district’s operating and transportation leadership to advocate for the change.
During the 90 minute meeting, Mr. Bingham said district officials gave several reasons why it would be difficult to change the start times such as transportation and an ongoing bus driver shortage.
But Mr. Bigham is concerned over the structure of the district’s transportation system. In addition to busing PPS students, PPS is also required by the state to transport students living in the city who attend nonpublic or charter schools located within a 10-mile radius of city lines.
Ms. Ruggiero worries over early start times and truancy rates. According to district data, PPS had a 35% chronic absenteeism rate this school year. That’s compared to last year when the rate reached 41%.
“You have students who are getting up at ridiculous hours and if they miss buses and they are truant then that goes on their record,” Ms. Ruggiero said.
She said later start times could also help to address behavioral issues because “if you don’t come into school half asleep and grumpy you might have better outcomes or you’re at least setting students up for success.”
Several parents have cited the American Academy of Pediatrics, which says schools should not start before 8:30 a.m. But any movement to Pittsburgh Public’s time is welcomed.
“We should be putting our students in places to succeed,” Ms. Ruggiero said, “not putting them in situations where they’re already behind. … To me, this is a fundamental, baseline issue that should be addressed.”
First Published: May 27, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: May 27, 2023, 11:04 p.m.
