Nov. 16, 1999
The Salt Lake School District tonight debated whether to delay the starting time of high school. There's growing research showing students would do better if school didn't start so early.
Education Specialist Nadine Wimmer reports.
At the Tingey home, there are plenty of teenagers. And not one of them is even thinking of going to sleep by 10:00 p.m.
They're doing homework, watching t.v., but research says unlike adults, they need at least nine hours of sleep. But if they wake up nine hours from now, they'll be late for school.
Math is hard enough, let alone at 7:30 in the morning. The idea of starting school an hour later gets high marks from many teenagers.
Candice Riggs/Student: "I hate getting up in the morning, that early. I think it would be better at 8:35."
Daphne Cover/Student: "I think it would be a really good idea."
A school task force has studied the issue for nearly a year and the evidence is clear, kids all over the state would benefit by getting more shut eye, and starting high school later.
Dorothy Cosgrove/Sleep Task Force: "They actually need more sleep and they naturally prefer to go to bed later and get up later."
But pros and cons make it a difficult decision. What happens to after-school games and activities if school ends later?
Family schedules would be disrupted, so would bus schedules, and that could cost thousands of dollars.
Merrilyn Diaz/Sleep Task Force: "I'm one of those who thinks the benefits to kids are so great, go later and work around all the other things and make them work."
The school board decided to find out exactly how much it would cost before it makes a decision. One member commented it would be easier if the entire state switched start times.
