School Should Start Later

Schools Should Start Later Persuasive Essay

Waking up between  6 am and 7 am is what most teenagers in the US do for three quarters of the year. In my school, the first bell rings at 7:40 am. Almost 75% of high schools in the US start earlier than 8:30 in the morning. Schools should start later in the morning.

The first reason is, most teenagers brains do not start working to their full potential until 10 am. An article about Oxford University says,”A pilot study at Monkseaton High School in North Tyneside in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 per cent.” (The Telegraph) Waking up early in the morning does not give the chance for your brain to adjust. Also, getting more sleep can help you comprehend more in school. In conclusion, teenagers brain do not work good in the morning before 10 am.

Just as important, not getting enough sleep can lead to health risks. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) states,”The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers aged 13 to 18 years should regularly sleep 8 to 10 hours per day for good health.” It also states,”These biological changes are often combined with poor sleep habits. During the school week, school start times are the main reason students wake up when they do.” (CDC) Teenagers need more sleep to avoid health issues. Not getting enough sleep can result in heart problems or depression. In conclusion, not getting enough sleep can have health risks.

Some might say that starting school later in the morning can cause problems, such as transportation issues and who will watch the younger kids in the morning. Of course parents need to go to work in the morning so the kids will be home alone. However, the Scientific American Article  said,” Many districts bus kids to high school first, then rerun the routes for the elementary schools. Flipping the order would bring high schoolers to class later and benefit their little sisters and brothers; other studies show that young children are more awake and more ready to learn earlier in the morning.” (Scientific American) Therefore, transportation can work out and younger kids would go to school first so parents do not need to watch them in the morning. As a result, transportation and finding a babysitter early in the morning are solved.

High schools and middle schools should start later in the morning. Not getting enough sleep can lead to health risks, teenagers brains do not start working to their full potential until 10 am, and young kids do not need to be watched in the morning because they can still go into school at the same time because their brains work better in the morning than teenagers. In conclusion, junior high and high schools should start later in the morning.