Frequently asked questions

The following are questions posed by our students, families, staff and community members as it relates to the district's consideration of school start times and why.

Submit question  Feel free to send us your question, using this form.

 Question When will we know if the new start times are approved or not?
  Tentatively, there may be a decision in June. The School Start Times Committee will meet in April, and a presentation/recommendation is scheduled for the Board of Education meeting on May 27. The board may decide to vote during its next meeting on June 10, or they may request more information. If the latter occurs, then this would be placed on their June 24 agenda or later.

 Question  Why is Spencerport considering this change now?
  As families are aware, scientific research and evidence indicates high school students require more sleep and would benefit from starting their day later in the morning. Insufficient sleep has been connected to an increased risk of:  
Hyperactivity
Poor concentration
Poor impulse control
Disruptive behavior problems
Poor school performance		 Depression
Low energy
Decreased motivation
Accident prone
Substance use
Suicidality

 Question What are the considerations for elementary-aged students? Will they need to go to bed at 6:30 p.m. if a change is made?
  Teachers, principals, and families of elementary students are part of the School Start Times committee, as well as subgroups evaluating transportation, wrap-around care, extra-curricular activities and athletics, academics, and communication.
 
  There is a wealth of scientific research and evidence as it relates to adolescent sleep and school start times. As stated previously, there are few studies specifically on elementary students and school start times.

What does exist indicates that elementary students are not adversely impacted by an earlier start time in the same way as older students. American Educational Research Association
   
  Elementary pros and cons have been mentioned in these studies; however no direct "cause and effect" has been established. University of Minnesota reported:
   
 
  • Pros:
    Teachers observed students to be more alert at the start of the day; fewer morning transitions (directly from home to school, no a.m. daycare), fewer behavioral problems, and after-school participation increased
  • The percent of ES students reporting sufficient sleep duration, poor sleep quality, or daytime sleepiness did not change.
  • Cons:
    Teachers observed impact on attendance/late arrivals, especially at the start of the school year
  • Colorado reported that after one-year post-change, ES students showed an 11-min decrease in sleep duration. (a 6:30 p.m. bedtime not required).
 
 
  The School Start Times Committee has been weighing the impact on students, both at the elementary and secondary levels. Members are looking at this topic with a critical lens, and the intent is for the committee to take in all the information to determine a final recommendation this spring.  

 Question Do you feel that high school students will just stay up later, thus still getting the same amount of sleep?
  They might; however, Wahlstrom and colleagues(2002) assessed 18,000 high school students in Minneapolis before and after the district school start times changed from 7:15 to 8:40 a.m. (1997-98), determining:
 
  • Bedtimes stayed the same 
  • 4 years later the high school students were still getting 50 minutes more sleep a night


 Question Do you feel that by having high school students go to school later we are preparing them for early morning college classes and early morning jobs as adults?
  College comparisons are difficult, as students typically follow a Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday schedule. Depending on the student, class starts may range from 8 a.m., 12 p.m. or evening.
   
  Dr. Peltz provides his response on job readiness below, which stresses the importance of setting healthy sleep routines at a young age to carry them into adulthood. Even though adults require less sleep, these routines support mental and physical health and well-being.

Question The "Youth Risk Behavior Survey" was a survey of only 25 students in the district that showed 42% of those who took the survey receiving less than six hours of sleep.



FALSE. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is administered every two years, and in 2023, 744 students participated. For this question, more than 310 indicated they get less than six hours of sleep. This can be further equated to one graduating class or 25% of the entire high school population.

Question How would this impact sports or extra-curricular clubs and activities?



The Athletics subcommittee has approached this yearlong review by focusing on the obstacles - real or imagined -  to change. The group has explored bus transportation, Section V scheduling, practice times, team mergers, students' ability to have time for studying and academics, employment