An opinion piece in the New York Times by Henry Nicholls argues that school start times should be changed so teenagers can get more sleep.

At its most basic, insufficient sleep results in reduced attention and impaired memory, hindering student progress and lowering grades. More alarmingly, sleep deprivation is likely to lead to mood and emotional problems, increasing the risk of mental illness. Chronic sleep deprivation is also a major risk factor for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and cancer. As if this weren’t enough, it also makes falling asleep at the wheel much more likely.

A study published in Education Next, “Do Schools Begin Too Early,” by Finley Edwards, looked at the impact of later school start times on student achievement.

EdNext’s Marty West interviewed Finley Edwards on this topic in an episode of the EdNext Podcast.

— Education Next