WASHINGTON – It’s not easy getting up in the morning. Ask any parent who has to get a sleepy child off to class on time.
But should kids get more time to sleep in?
Research has shown that teenagers naturally fall asleep earlier than adults, and their current schedule forces them to fight their biological rhythm, sometimes leading to sleep deprivation.
Fairfax County school officials on Tuesday plan to discuss a proposal that would start the school day later.
The school system has for some time considered moving its first classes to 8 a.m. instead of the typical 7:20 a.m.
Children’s National Medical Center is working with school officials, studying a change and potential solutions to logistical problems.
Findings are expected in the middle of the coming school year.
There’s a chance the newest proposal could lead to later school times in the 2014-2015 school year.
Fairfax County School Board Member Jane Strauss tells the Examiner one of the biggest challenges remains how to schedule school buses, so that kids of all ages could get to class on time.
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