Florida senators took steps Monday to roll back a 2023 law mandating later school start times for high schools and middle schools, set to take effect in 2026, as districts statewide voice mounting concerns over compliance challenges.
The Senate Education Pre-K-12 Committee voted 5-1 to approve SB 296, sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island), which would repeal requirements that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and middle schools no earlier than 8 a.m.
The 2023 law aimed to boost sleep for older students, citing health benefits, but Bradley said feedback from districts has shifted the tide.
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“The law was very well-intentioned … to ensure our high-school students were well-rested,” she told the committee, “but the feedback is overwhelming: A state mandate on school start times would present incredible challenges, financially and otherwise.” She highlighted logistical hurdles—new buses, scarce drivers, and scheduling conflicts impacting after-school activities and parents’ routines—especially in her rural North Florida district.
Support spans the state, with organizations like the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and the Florida School Boards Association backing the repeal, alongside districts from Palm Beach to Okaloosa. Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boca Raton), a 2023 supporter, flipped her stance after Palm Beach County flagged the mandate as “impossible” to meet.
“They said it was just not feasible,” she noted, citing strained resources.
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Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville), a former superintendent, cast the lone “no” vote, though he offered no public comment.
A Senate analysis underscores the stakes: Florida high schools average a 7:45 a.m. start, with 46% before 7:30 a.m. and 19% between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m., while middle schools average 9:03 a.m., with 8% pre-8 a.m. Bradley’s bill, while scrapping the mandate, urges districts to “consider the benefits” of later starts moving forward.
In the House, Rep. Anne Gerwig (R-Wellington) is pushing a companion bill, HB 261, as the legislative session kicks off Tuesday. With districts pleading for flexibility and the clock ticking to 2026, the repeal’s fate now hinges on a GOP-led Legislature balancing local control against student well-being—a debate poised to heat up in the 60-day session ahead.
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