Schools

School to Start 20 Minutes Later Next Year

Montgomery County Schools will push back their bell times next year, board of education members decided.

»Subscribe to the daily Bethesda email newsletter.

After lobbying by students that included attending meetings in pajamas, the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday to move school start times back 20 minutes for middle school and high school students.

Find out what's happening in Montgomery Villagefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

High school students currently have to report by 7:25 a.m.

Elementary school students will start school ten minutes later.

Find out what's happening in Montgomery Villagefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The change will take effect in the 2015/2016 school year, reports Montgomery Community Media.

Will this change help students? What would you recommend? Tell us in comments below.

A majority of residents who attended public hearings last month said they support later school start times — also known as bell times —, allowing teenagers to get more sleep.

Students at two hearings testified how tired they were from late nights of homework coupled with early alarms to get to school on time, according to WTOP. Two children even showed up in pajamas and slippers with eye black beneath their eyes for an extra-sleepy look.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.