A Resolution urging school districts to adopt later secondary school start times.

PRINTER'S NO. 2036
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 273
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY COOPER, BRIGGS, SANCHEZ, ROWE, BRENNAN, RIVERA,
RABB, DIAMOND, D. WILLIAMS, WARREN, O'MARA, FREEMAN, ORTITAY,
MIHALEK AND BOYD, JUNE 25, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 25, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Urging school districts to adopt later secondary school start
times.
WHEREAS, Numerous studies have shown that adolescents,
particularly high school students, require an average of 8 to 10
hours of sleep per night for optimal physical and mental health,
academic performance and overall well-being; and
WHEREAS, Hormonal changes during puberty dramatically change
sleep-wake rhythms and teens become biologically hardwired to be
"night owls"; and
WHEREAS, Ninety-eight percent of Pennsylvania secondary
schools begin before the medically recommended 8:30 a.m.,
preventing students from achieving the necessary quality and
duration of sleep due to too early start times; and
WHEREAS, According to the 2021 Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 84% of
Pennsylvania school students are not getting adequate sleep,
ranking Pennsylvania's youths among the nation's most sleep-
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deprived; and
WHEREAS, Research conducted by the CDC and the American
Academy of Pediatrics has found that later start times are
associated with improved academic performance, reduced tardiness
and lower rates of absenteeism; and
WHEREAS, Students who get adequate sleep are better able to
focus, retain information and engage in class, leading to
improved educational outcomes and a reduction in negative
behaviors such as depression, anxiety, suicide ideation and
other mental health issues; and
WHEREAS, Delaying school start times can also improve student
safety, as well-rested students are less likely to be involved
in accidents while traveling to school and are better able to
manage their daily schedules, including after-school activities;
and
WHEREAS, At least 44 Pennsylvania school entities to date, as
well as many hundreds of others in at least 46 states, including
Massachusetts, Minnesota, California, Kentucky and Florida, have
successfully implemented later start times, demonstrating both
feasibility and sustained benefit; and
WHEREAS, A 2017 RAND study conservatively projects a boost to
Pennsylvania's economy of at least $1.2 billion after five years
of Statewide implementation due to reduced car crashes and
increased graduation rates; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge, as
recommended by the 2019 Pennsylvania Joint State Government
Commission Report entitled, Sleep Deprivation in Adolescents: A
Case for Delaying Secondary School Start Times, all school
districts in this Commonwealth to consider and adopt later
secondary school start times for the purpose of enhancing
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student overall health, safety and academic success; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That school districts are encouraged to work with
local health professionals, educators and parents to develop a
balanced schedule that accommodates the diverse needs of
students while maintaining essential educational and
extracurricular activities; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Department of Education and the
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency are urged to
provide resources and support for school districts that are
exploring changes to school start times, and to engage in public
education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of
adequate sleep for adolescents.
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