Another Colorado school district wants to push back start times. Students at Jefferson County Public Schools could be getting a bit more sleep in the mornings if the proposal passes.
Jefferson County Schools could become the latest Colorado school district to have later start times for its students. Last March, Cherry Creek School District's proposal to push back school start times passed, and the change has been in effect since the start of the 2017-2018 school year. The change was made to give students more time to rest and teachers more time to plan. And it's one that Jefferson County wants to see implemented in its high schools.
On Monday, Feb. 12, a meeting was held with district officials (view the meeting's slideshow presentation); over 100 people were in attendance. The school district is trying to put together a task force in order to "look at the logistics and impacts of changing school start times across the district," according to the district's website.
"Jeffco Public Schools wishes to align instructional practices and learning environments with evidence-based best practices and physiological needs to students," said Dr. Jason Glass about the task force. "The district also wishes to remain fiscally responsible, provide equitable access to athletics and activities, and to support our students in a variety of extra-curricular and community endeavors."If you're interested, applications for the task force will be accepted through March 5. There are plans to have the first task force meeting before March 31. Click here to apply. Being part of the task force is not the only way you can give your feedback on the school start times -- fill out this form to share your thoughts. If the school board approves this change, then it would impact the 2019-20 school year (at the earliest). Specific school start times have not yet been discussed. For more information, please visit Jefferson County Schools' website. What do you think? Do you think students (and teachers) could benefit from the later start times? Would you like to see this implemented in the school districts in your area? Let us know in the comments below, and let's get the conversation started!