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Editorial: New start times good for Hillsborough schools

 
Published Oct. 13, 2017

It's been a long year for Hillsborough County schools, as district officials and students alike shared the hot seat thanks to a budget crunch, bickering on the School Board and school air conditioners that don't work. But a bright spot emerged this week with the district's plan to change bell times for the 2018 school year.

Under the plan, elementary schools will run from 7:40 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., high schools from 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m., and middle schools from 9:25 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. That's roughly a half-hour or later than the current start times for middle and high schools, and it aligns with recommendations from pediatricians to address the sleep needs of adolescents.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:New bell times are unveiled for Hillsborough County Schools

The start time for magnet schools, at either 8:30 a.m. or shortly after, is about an hour later than the current schedule, which should make these options appealing to more families and help mix the schools socially and racially. And schools will still end early enough for older students to hold a part-time job or participate in extracurricular activities.

This plan is a better product than last year's proposal because the process was more open and transparent. Rather than being rushed and secretive, the plan involved outreach, face-to-face contact between families and school staff and surveys printed in both English and Spanish.

The new bell times, which the School Board is scheduled to vote on Tuesday , would improve the learning environment for students, give teachers more room to plan and make more efficient use of public school resources.

Now, about those air conditioners.