ORLANDO, Fla. — School districts across the state are preparing to become compliant to state law when it comes to school start times.

In 2023, lawmakers passed a law to require middle schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. by 2026.

What You Need To Know

  • In 2023, Florida lawmakers passed a law to require middle schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. by 2026

  • Senate Bill 296 would overturn that law and give power to change start times back to the districts

  • An Orange County Public Schools official said she feels local officials know their district best and should have control over their schools' start times

  • An OCPS mother, Jessica Popov, feels making later start times for middle and high schools will improve academic performance

Now, a new bill filed for the upcoming March legislative session seeks to overturn that law.

For the Popov Family, after school is all about homework and sports.

Dimitar, 11, and his 5-year-old little brother, Declan, play their favorite sport and just enjoy being children, but when it comes to waking up in the morning, it becomes a different story.

“I always have to get up at like 7 a.m., and it’s very exhausting and puberty is really hard," Dimitar Popov said.

Their mom, Jessica Popov, says mornings can be a little chaotic, but they try to make it work by sticking to a schedule.

“Well, we would start in the pantry where we would get our snacks for the day and make sure that our lunch boxes are kept in here, so the boys get out their lunch boxes," she explained.

It’s a process their family has been doing for years to get their children to school on time, which is why they’re looking forward to 2026 when school districts will be required to ensure that middle schools start after 8 a.m. and high schools start after 8:30 a.m.

“I think that pushing the school start times back for our teenage kids is really in the best interest for everyone involved," Jessica Popov said. "We don’t see how much of an impact, yet, that I can have on our teenagers because we have yet to actually do it.”

Lawmakers in 2023 agreed to pass a bill to change school starts times and cited research that suggests older students would benefit from more sleep.

But a new bill being filed this legislative session is looking to overturn those changes.

Senate Bill 296 would no longer require districts to make these changes but instead gives the power back to the school districts.

“I really am hoping that this bill does move forward in Tallahassee and that kind of gives that home rule back to Orange County or back to all of the districts," OCPS School Board member Angie Gallo said. "Because I think here in Orange County, we know our community best.”

Gallo said changing school start times in a large district like theirs would be a multimillion-dollar overhaul that would include the busing system and is a process she said Orange County cannot afford.

“We don’t have the money to, or the actual human capital, to really create more bus routes. So, out of the scenarios it would be, you know, elementary school going to school really early," Gallo explained. "Which, it is dark in the morning, so we would have our littlest ones on the road walking to the bus stop. And then we would have our middle schools going to school really late.”

Gallo said the district looked into changing school start times in 2019 when it conducted a survey with families asking if it was something they’d like to see. Gallo said officials learned that the majority of parents did not want the change.

Popov, however, is a part of the minority. And while she hopes the current law stays in place, she said she will be okay if SB296 becomes law and OCPS still considered making changes.

“Now if they put the power back into the hands of the school districts, I would love to see Orange County Public Schools take it as an opportunity, collect their own evidence, and start dividing this up," Popov said. "Let’s go ahead and take the southwest learning community and run this and try to do it and see what the numbers actually look like.” 

It is a sentiment that even gives her son Dimitar peace of mind.

“It would be better because when I sleep, it will help me concentrate more," he exclaimed.

As of now, Marion, Flagler, Volusia, Lake and Brevard county school districts are all in compliance with state law, while Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Polk are working to do so before the 2026-27 school year.