In a December work session meeting, the school board considered delaying a decision as it’s already in the process of making boundary changes.
An online petition started by Jenna White, a Fairfax County Public Schools parent, said in a December board meeting, “there was suddenly discussion around pausing this work to be in conjunction with the FCPS Boundary Review, which could set this work back several years.”
FCPS already adjusted high school start times nearly a decade ago.
The district is considering doing the same for middle schools, which currently have a 7:30 a.m. start time, as more research shows it’s good for a student’s performance, mental well-being, and safety.
Prismatic Services presented the board with five different options to move start times to 8 a.m. or later, with considerations of having more buses and additional costs.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 …