Stevenson High School Pushing Back Start Time Next Year
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One of the top high schools in the Chicago area has made a big change to its start time, beginning next school year.
Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire will start classes at 8:30 a.m. next year, 25 minutes later than it does now.
The school board approved the change this week, and in a video on the school's website, principal Troy Gobble said there are three main reasons for the change, including research on teenage sleep.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has said middle school and high school students should not start class until 8:30 a.m. or later.
"We know from our own surveys of students that many of them don't go to bed until after 11 o'clock on school nights. So there are many students who are probably getting six hours of sleep or less per night. That's about three to four hours less than what is recommended," Gobble said.
Other reasons for the later start included giving teachers more time to meet with colleagues before school, and allowing teachers more time before school to give students extra help.
Class periods would be 47 minutes, which Gobble said is about average compared to other schools in the area.
