Pinellas officially adopts later school-start times
ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Pinellas County's school board has voted in favor of new school start times that will get most students into class a bit later, but not as much as some parents would like.
The board voted 6-1 to adopt a 7:20 a.m. start for high schools, which is 15 minutes later than this year’s time. However, Lakewood, Gibbs, Dixie Hollins and Boca Ciega high schools would all remain at 7:05 a.m. Start time, because they get out earlier.
The district had spent months getting feedback from parents, many of whom felt 7:05 was too early to start class. Some wanted school to start as late as 8:30 a.m.
“I have two high school students and it’s just killing us. We are just exhausted all of the time, we get up at 5:30 a.m. To get everyone ready for school and it’s just unreasonable,” Dawn Burke told FOX 13 last month.
Under the plan approved Tuesday, most elementary and middle schools would start 10 minutes later -- at 8:45 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., respectively.
District officials had previously pointed out that Pinellas is the most densely populated county in Florida, and they want the buses off roadways before the 8-to-9 o’clock rush hour.
“This is the first step in a multi-year plan to adjust start times to meet the needs of students in every grade,” a district spokesperson noted.