EG School Committee Could Vote on Later Start Times Tuesday Night

The East Greenwich School Committee could decide on whether to move forward with a plan for later school start times tonight (Tuesday).

The matter is listed under the committee’s “action items” portion of its agenda, along with discussion of the budget, the school calendar and other items.

The School Committee has been collecting feedback and pondering the results of an ad-hoc committee’s exhaustive study on the feasibility of having later start times at all of the town’s schools. That study was unveiled in April and can be viewed HERE.

Based on comments made by committee members at several meetings, it appears there is consensus in support of later start times. The committee has fielded widespread concerns, especially from student athletes and officials from the athletic program about the impact on practices.

Last month, several students said that by the time they get home from games, it might be 9 p.m. or later. After a quick late supper, there’s still homework to get done and many nights don’t really end until midnight or later, they said.

By starting school later, practices and games will start later, which means homework will get done later, negating any benefit from a later start time, they argued.

Proponents of later start times have repeatedly said that identical concerns in other communities have proven to be unfounded after later start times were implemented. There is a bit of an adjustment period, but in the end, the result of the change has a positive effect on the entire student community.

There are safety reasons, too.

“Kids are catching buses at 7 a.m. in the winter in the dark, standing on dark street corners,” said Catherine Rodgers last August, when the topic was first raised. She helped lead the charge for later start times in East Greenwich. She noted that many students participate in music activities, such as at Archie R. Cole Middle School, where they arrive as early as 6:35 a.m. to participate.

“There’s just so many safety issues involved, as well as reduced tardiness and delinquency and academic success,” Rodgers said. “In all the studies that that have to do with sleep levels in teenagers — biologically, they’re more inclined to fall asleep later and wake up later. There’s something about the circadian rhythm with this particular age group.”

Patch will be at the meeting tonight. Follow Mark Schieldrop on Twitter (@MarkSchieldrop) for a live update if/when there is a vote.