PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Lower Merion School District is one step closer to pushing back school start times.
The school board voted Monday night 7-2 in favor of implementing schedule changes, which would start in September 2024. Implementation was initially considered for this September.
The revised proposal calls for moving the start of high school back more than an hour, from the current 7:30 a.m. start time to 8:40 a.m. The day would end at 3:30 p.m.
Middle school would start 15 minutes earlier than currently scheduled, at 8 a.m., and elementary school would start 20 minutes later, at 9:20 a.m.
Middle and elementary schoolers would end their days at 2:50 and 4:05 p.m., respectively.
The school board pointed to numerous medical organizations that have recommended changes like these to better align start times with teens’ sleep patterns.
The board will hold a final vote on the plan this summer.