Montgomery County schools chief to propose bell change options

WASHINGTON — Students in Montgomery County may be able to sleep in a little longer on school days.

On Tuesday, Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr and School Board President Patricia O’Neill are slated to announce possible options to changing bell times.

In June, after a study and a series of public meetings on proposals for changing bell schedules, Starr said he wouldn’t move forward with a plan to open schools later, citing a projected cost of $21 million. The school board asked Starr to take another look at a cost that could top out at no more than $10 million.

The Fairfax County school system has moved to change bell schedules in the 2015-2016 academic year at a projected cost of $4.9 million.

The push to open schools later is based in large part on studies that cite the sleep requirements of adolescents.

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.

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