The Importance Of Early School Start Times

CATIPAY, Mary Lorielaine L.
FLORES, Vanessa Frances C.
ENG 23 – 2:35 MWF
February 11, 2015

It was found out that student from schools, who start classes early are more likely to be tardy or absent. It is according to Edwards (2012), in a study he conducted; statistical results showed that there were a 1.3 fewer absences or a reduction of 25 percent for students who started class one hour later than the other students. This information gives an explanation to why student’s academic performance in schools who starts classes later than the usual are improved, it is for the reason that they don’t get to miss any of their classes. Missing classes can lead to being unable to cope up with the topic; can miss quizzes, seatwork or even recitations.

Students are more to be tardy and to be absent and they tend to sleep during classes yet it could also affect the performance of the students in school. Early school start times are one of the identified by The National Institutes of Health and the American Lung Association of New England as a factor of sleep deficiency. According to Croft (1994), she believes that early school start times have a “deleterious impact” and impose an “unrealistic burden” on students. Researchers commented that sleep deprivation among students is epidemic (Developmental Neuroscience, 2009). Previous research tends to find that students in early starting schools are more likely to be tardy and to be absent. A recent poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that most students who are sleep deprived said they fell asleep at school. University Health Center administered a survey and showed them that one in four students say that lack of sleep has affected their academic performance in a bad way (2011). The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that sleep deprivation can have very negative ramifications on students’ health. It’s unsurprisingly much harder to concentrate on school works and tests when you’re running on less sleep than your

They can’t concentrate in their studies then they are sleep-deprived because they are lack of sleep due to too much homework to be done, watching television, playing sports and etc. Even though it may disrupt the afterschool activities and it will end the classes late but it would provide the students many benefits that they need. It would really help them improve their skills and learnings. However, we should also consider the opinion of the school and parents who are partly against in these changes because they know that it will really affect many things. But for this implementation to be approved and regulated; it is better to conduct more research about how it would really affect the students’ performance and parents and what would be the actions it will intake for this changes to be really