Later school start times are not a luxury—they are a necessary investment in student health and
learning. When the first bell rings later, teenagers get the sleep their growing brains require,
attendance improves, and academic performance rises. The research is consistent, and the schools
that have made the change have seen the results firsthand. What is missing is not evidence but action.
School boards, parents, and policymakers must be willing to reshuffle bus schedules and quiet the
criticism, because nothing matters more than giving students the rest they need to succeed. The cost
of change is small; the cost of inaction is another generation of exhausted teenagers. It is time to
wake up—and let our students sleep in.
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