WASHINGTON — The Montgomery County Public Schools board has voted to change school bell times.
Beginning in August of 2015, high school students will start class at 7:45 a.m., middle school will be delayed 20 minutes and elementary schools will have 10 minutes added to the day for either recess or lunch.
The school board considered various proposals after parents sought to delay the start of the school day in order to give teens more time to sleep. Currently, high school students report at 7:25 a.m.
Last summer, Superintendent Joshua Starr decided not to go ahead with a plan that would have delayed bell times by 50 minutes among other changes, in part because of the cost.
Montgomery County school board president Patricia O’Neill says the decision was the least disruptive during a time where the school system faces a tighter budget and increased enrollment. The change comes at no additional costs to the school system.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
