Edmonds School District asking for feedback on school start/end times

The Edmonds School District is exploring potential adjustments to school start times, and is asking for feedback from families. Changes would be effective beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

A joint committee of staff, community members, students and families has been meeting since the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year to analyze various scheduling options, the district said in its March 18 newsletter. In May 2024, the district sent out a survey to families about their desire to change the current start and dismissal times. The responses showed that the community is interested in moving high school start times to later in the morning.

Now, the district is looking for additional input to help guide next steps.

Why Consider Changes?

Research suggests that later start times for high school students improve academic outcomes, attendance, and well-being. Benefits include:
– Higher attendance and graduation rates
– Better academic performance and state test scores
– Reduced depression, caffeine use, and substance abuse risk
– Fewer car accidents among teen drivers

Meanwhile, studies indicate that earlier start times for elementary students have little to no negative impact on academic success. Some research even suggests improved math scores for certain student groups.

Key Considerations

There are some additional considerations that the committee felt important to share as the district considers any proposals to change middle and high school start times to later.
– Many high school students have jobs after school or have family child care responsibilities for younger siblings and late dismissal times would have an impact on these obligations.
– Roughly 50% of middle and high school students participate in extracurricular activities and athletics and later start times will result in missed instructional time due to the need to release them from school for athletic contest start times.
– Moving high and middle school start and end times later will mean that elementary schools will start and end earlier. The district will need to work with its child care partners to ensure adequate care is available both before and after school.

Current and Proposed Start Time Models

Currently, our district’s transportation system operates on a four-tier model:

Tier 1: 7:20 AM – 1:52 PM – All high schools
Tier 2: 8:05 AM – 2:35 PM – All middle schools and three elementary schools
Tier 3: 8:45 AM – 3:15 PM – 12 elementary schools
Tier 4: 9:25 AM – 3:55 PM – Eight elementary schools

In most situations, bus pick-up and drop-off times are around 40 minutes prior to the start and end of school.
​
The district is evaluating two options for later middle and high school start times:

Option 1:
12 elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 1 (7:20 a.m. – 1:52 p.m.)
All high schools operate on Tier 2 (8:05 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.)
All middle schools and three elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 3 (8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.)
Eight elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 4 (9:25 a.m. – 3:55 p.m.)

Option 2:
Eight elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 1 (7:20 a.m. – 1:52 p.m.)
12 elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 2 (8:05 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.)
All high schools operate on Tier 3 (8:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.)
All middle schools and three elementary schools (not yet specified) operate on Tier 4 (9:25 a.m. – 3:55 p.m.)

You can access the surveys — available to families, students and staff and in the district’s top languages — here.

The surveys will close on Friday, April 4.