ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County Public Schools administrators are considering changing school start times.
- Orange County Public Schools presenting proposed start time changes
- District says it wants to maximize use of their school buses, save money
- WATCH IT: OCPS presentation on proposed start times
On Tuesday, OCPS held two meetings to present four models: proposals for scheduled start and finish time for grades K-12.
District leaders say they’re considering the changes to maximize the use of their school buses and to save money. They also cite a large amount of research that's shown early school start times can make teens more likely to have health problems.
One of the proposals includes keeping times where they’re at currently:
- High School: 7:20 a.m.
- Elementary and K-8 Schools: 8:45 a.m.
- Elementary School with extra hour: 8:15 a.m.
- Middle School: 9:30 a.m.
The other three proposals move times to later in the mornings and afternoons.
Model B Proposal Start Times:
- High School: 7:40 a.m.
- Elementary and K-8 Schools: 9:05 a.m.
- Elementary School with extra hour: 8:35 a.m.
- Middle School: 9:50 a.m.
Model C Proposal Start Times:
- High School: 8 a.m.
- Elementary and K-8 Schools: 9:25 a.m.
- Elementary School with extra hour: 8:55 a.m.
- Middle School: 10:10 a.m.
Model D Proposal Start Times:
- High School: 8:45 a.m.
- Elementary and K-8 Schools: 8 a.m.
- Elementary School with extra hour: 8 a.m.
- High School: 8:45 a.m.
- Middle School: 10:15 a.m.
One parent says he’d like to see his daughter start later in the morning to give her more time to get up and get ready.
“My first-grader just wants to stay in bed, and you have to get her out at the last minute and rush out the door, and any extra time would help a lot,” said Andrew Thibaudeau.
But some parents say they’d like to keep the current times. One parent says her kids already get out later than she’d prefer, and she says if it was any later they wouldn’t have enough time to finish athletic and other programs, and do their homework.
PTA president at Jones High School Terry Williams said middle schoolers starting class after 10 would be tough on working parents.
“School starting later means my daughter has to be at work early, which means my grandson would be left home alone," Williams said.
If you're a student or the parent of an Orange County student, you can take OCPS's survey on school start times.