Despite acknowledging the crucial need for teenagers to get more sleep, Florida senators are advancing a bill that would repeal mandated later start times for high schools, scheduled to take effect in 2026. The Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee voted 8-1 on Tuesday to approve Senate Bill 296, authored by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island.
The 2023 legislation, which aimed to improve student well-being by ensuring adequate rest, stipulated that high schools could not begin classes before 8:30 a.m. and middle schools before 8 a.m.
However, as the implementation date approaches, numerous school districts are expressing significant challenges in meeting these requirements.
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Districts cite logistical hurdles such as the need for additional buses and bus drivers, as well as the impact of later start times on after-school activities and childcare arrangements.
Senate Pre-K-12 Appropriations Chairman Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, acknowledged the robust research supporting the benefits of later start times for teenage sleep.
“The research is there. I don’t think it’s refuted,” Burgess stated. However, he described the situation as a “collision between research and resources,” highlighting the practical difficulties faced by school districts.
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, a former Okaloosa County superintendent of schools, cast the sole dissenting vote, underscoring the ongoing debate surrounding the issue.
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The House version of the bill, HB 261, is sponsored by Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, expressed uncertainty about his stance on the bill, noting the diverse opinions across the state. “We are going to have that debate within the House, but this is an issue that depends on which part of the state you are from,” Perez told The News Service of Florida. “You’ll have a difference of opinion. It depends on how old your children are.”
The push to repeal the mandate highlights the tension between scientific recommendations and the practical challenges faced by school districts, leaving the future of later high school start times in Florida uncertain.
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