New Jersey High Schools New Law

Summary

New Jersey legislators have proposed a bill to mandate high school start times no earlier than 8:30 am from the 2024/2025 school year, aiming to improve adolescent mental health and academic performance, which has been a concern exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The New Jersey Legislature is considering a new bill that would require high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 am. This initiative, which would take effect in the 2024/2025 academic year, is based on research suggesting that later start times can significantly benefit students' mental health and academic achievement, especially in light of the increased mental health challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the average start time for high school students in New Jersey is 7:51 am, earlier than the national average of 8 am. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, a co-sponsor of the bill, emphasizes the positive impact of later school start times on students' overall well-being, as demonstrated by success stories from other states. The New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (NJAAP) has been advocating for this change through its Task Force on Adolescent Sleep & School Start Times, which was established to address the critical role of sleep in adolescent development and to combat issues such as depression and anxiety. For the bill to become law, it must be passed by the state Senate and Assembly and signed by Governor Phil Murphy.

Opinions

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin supports the bill, citing research and success stories from other states that indicate the benefits of later start times for students' mental health and academic performance.
The NJAAP’s Task Force on Adolescent Sleep & School Start Times advocates for later start times to ensure adequate sleep for adolescents, which is crucial for their development and for addressing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
The proposed legislation reflects a broader opinion that the benefits of later school start times to students' holistic well-being outweigh any potential costs or challenges associated with implementing the change.

New Jersey High Schools New Law

New Jersey Legislators have proposed a bill to permit high school students to sleep in a bit longer. his new proposition would have high school students begin their educational day no earlier than 8:30 am beginning in the 2024/ 2025 school year. The ongoing reasons for this suggestion have been over mental health issues heightened from the recent Covid19 pandemic.

The current average start time for New Jersey high school students is 7:51 am, the national average is 8 am. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who co-sponsored the bill stated, “Overwhelmingly, the research and success stories out of other states’ school districts show that the benefits of later start times to students’ holistic well-being, in terms of both mental health and academic performance, easily outweigh the costs.”

The legislators want to ensure that sleep, imperative during adolescent development, is at the forefront of education and general well-being in the state. NJAAP’s Task Force on Adolescent Sleep & School Start Times has long been an advocate of adolescent sleep to combat depression, anxiety, and mental health issues. The NJAAP Task Force on Adolescent Sleep & School Start Times was established in Spring 2019. Its sole purpose is to raise awareness & educate the public about the importance of improved adolescent sleep and mental health. This specific Task Force in New Jersey supports educational policy changes to promote the physical and mental health and well-being of students.

This new bill would need to be passed by the state Senate and Assembly and signed by Governor Phil Murphy in order for it to become law.