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Later High School Start Times Yield Mixed Results, Say Parents, Educators

By U.S. News & World Report

“Let them sleep,” is the rallying call for a nationwide movement to push back high school start times. But parents and educators at high schools that have moved back the first bell report varying results.

Teens need about 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep and those who don’t get enough rest are at risk for physical and mental health problems, research shows.

But adolescents naturally have a hard time falling asleep before 11 p.m., which can make getting up for school before dawn a challenge. Academic performance can suffer as a result. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2015 that most middle and high schools start too early. Many start before 8:30 a.m., which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 2014 as the earliest middle and high schools should begin.

Iowa City Community School District pushed back high school start times this school year mostly to save money on busing and to allow teens to get more sleep, says Gregg Shoultz, principal of West High School in the district.

Anecdotally, the later start time of 8:50 a.m. has not reduced the number of tardy students by any appreciable amount as officials may have hoped it would, he says.

Keven Wynhoop, principal of Ballard High School in Seattle — which pushed back its morning start time this school year — says he would be surprised to see large improvements in either attendance or grade data compared with past years.

The new 8:45 a.m. start time — it was 7:50 a.m. — is still extremely early for most teenagers, who sleep well past that time on the weekends, he says. “They are still waking up tired and many are still coming late to first period.”

[Find out how parents and teachers can help teens stay awake at school.]

Practices are later for athletes, musicians and actors, he says, which pushes back these students’ entire evening and often doesn’t result in any additional sleep for these students.

Shoultz’ school had to move some extracurricular activities before school because practices were running until 10:30 p.m. due to gym availability.

Shoultz says there are a few positives. It is a more relaxed way to start the day, he says. And there is some ability to get things, like meetings with teachers, in before school.

Virginia mom of three Beth Tudan has seen the effects of later high school start times firsthand. Her middle son, 18-year-old senior Alexander, attended James Madison High School when school started at 7:10 a.m. and now when it starts at 8:10 a.m.

“It’s just been great because he has been able to go to bed about the same time, but he gets up about an hour later,” says Tudan, who’s president-elect of the Fairfax County Council PTA, which advocated for later high school start times. “His grades are higher, his concentration has been better. He’s just been happier.”

A downside of the later high school start times has been that middle school starts earlier to accommodate busing logistics, she says. Her youngest son, 14-year-old Thomas, an eighth-grader at Thoreau Middle School, wakes up at 5:45 a.m. While the schedule is not ideal, Tudan thinks it was the best compromise — and middle school is only two years in her district.

[Learn how later high school start times are a challenge for districts.]

“All families endure the middle school start times and are hoping and praying for the high school start time,” says Eliza Morss, whose daughters Alexandra, a 16-year-old junior, and freshman Helen, 14, also go to Madison. Another daughter is in elementary school. Her daughters never experienced the early high school start times, but Helen did experience the earlier middle school times.

Her daughters feel like they are getting more rest — even if they are not.

“My junior, she is going to bed at 1 a.m. every night and she gets up at 6 a.m.,” she says, because of a rigorous academic course load. But her daughter is glad she doesn’t have to leave the house until about 7:30 a.m. and is happy not to leave in the dark.

“I can’t say it’s been a game changer,” she says. “I’d say it’s definitely much better.”

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com.

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Later High School Start Times Yield Mixed Results, Say Parents, Educators originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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