A new proposal in the Florida House seeks to overturn legislation that mandates later start times for many of the state’s high schools. Representative Anne Gerwig, a Republican from Wellington, filed House Bill 261 on Monday, which would repeal changes passed by lawmakers in 2023.
These previously approved changes, set to take effect July 1, 2026, require middle schools to begin no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
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HB 261, if passed, would instead require school boards to “consider the benefits of a later school start time when adopting middle school and high school start times,” effectively removing the mandated start times. A similar bill (SB 296) was filed earlier this month in the Senate by Senator Jennifer Bradley, a Republican from Fleming Island.
Proponents of later school start times have cited research indicating that additional sleep can benefit high school students’ health and academic performance. However, the mandated start times have faced opposition from school districts, who have raised concerns about logistical challenges, including the complex coordination of bus schedules.
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While the regulations impact both middle and high schools, the later start time requirements have the most significant implications for high school operations.
These bills have been filed for consideration during the upcoming regular legislative session, which convenes on March 4th. The fate of the 2023 legislation, and whether Florida high schools will ultimately be required to shift to later start times, will be determined during this session.
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