Starting this fall, high schools in America’s most populous state can’t start classes before 8:30 a.m., and middle schools can’t start before 8 a.m. Lawmakers in New Jersey and Massachusetts have made similar proposals. Advocates say teens perform better academically when they are more awake, predicting the move will have wider impacts: fewer suicides and teenage car crashes, and better physical and mental health. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that in 2017-2018, the average start time for high schools nationwide was 8 a.m., but about 42% of high schools started before that time, and 10% of them started at 7 a.m. Classes start before 30:00. The latest data from NCES shows that in 2011-2012, middle school start times were similar. That’s too early for teens who go to bed later than other age groups because the sleep hormone melatonin is released later, scientists say. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start classes at 8:30 am or later. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that teens between the ages of 13 and 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night.
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