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School Start Times

Questions and Results

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1. The first issue concerns school start times. The Anchorage School District has convened a task force to study the possibility of changing school start times. Currently high school students start school at 7:30 am, middle schools begin at 8:15 a.m. and elementary schools start at 9:00 a.m. Schools currently begin at different times to make the most efficient use of school buses. We’d like to know what you think about each of these start times.

Do you think the high school start time of 7.30am is too early a start time, too late a start time, or do you think it’s about right?

	OPINION OF HIGH SCHOOL START TIME
	Count	%
Too early	160	41.5%
Too late	4	1.0%
About right	216	55.9%
Not sure	6	1.6%

Do you think the middle school start time of 8.15am is too early a start time, too late a start time, or do you think it’s about right?

OPINION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL START TIME

Count %

Too early 42 10.8%

Too late 18 4.7%

About right 319 82.7%

Not sure 7 1.7%

And do you think the elementary school start time of 9.00am is too early a start time, too late a start time, or do you think it’s about right?

OPINION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL START TIME

Count %

Too early 9 2.3%

Too late 70 18.1%

About right 303 78.5%

Not sure 4 1.1%

2. If you were responsible for setting start times for high schools, middle schools and elementary schools, what times would you choose?

For high schools?

RECOMMENDED HIGH SCHOOL START TIME

Count %

6.30am 1 .3%

7.00am 12 3.2%

7.30am 161 41.7%

7.45am 5 1.4%

8.00am 82 21.4%

8.10am 1 .3%

8.15am 29 7.6%

8.25am 2 .4%

8.30am 32 8.2%

8.45am 2 .6%

9.00am 46 11.9%

9.30am 3 .8%

10.00am 2 .5%

11.00am 1 .2%

12.00am 1 .2%

Not sure 5 1.3%

Mean = 7.58 am

For middle schools?

RECOMMENDED MIDDLE SCHOOL START TIME

Count %

6.30am 1 .3%

7.00am 7 1.8%

7.30am 9 2.4%

7.45am 2 .4%

8.00am 53 13.8%

8.10am 2 .5%

8.15am 221 57.3%

8.30am 48 12.4%

8.45am 5 1.3%

9.00am 29 7.4%

9.30am 5 1.4%

Not sure 3 .9%

Mean = 8.17 am

And for elementary schools?

RECOMMENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL START TIME

Count %

7.00am 6 1.6%

7.15am 1 .2%

7.30am 18 4.7%

7.45am 3 .8%

8.00am 29 7.6%

8.10am 1 .3%

8.15am 15 3.9%

8.30am 37 9.6%

8.45am 2 .4%

9.00am 255 66.1%

9.15am 1 .3%

9.30am 7 1.8%

9.45am 1 .3%

10.00am 5 1.3%

10.30am 1 .3%

Not sure 3 .9%

Mean = 8.45 am

3A. If the district changes start times, there are a number of possible options. I am going to read you four possible options. Please tell me whether you strongly favor, mildly favor, mildly oppose or strongly oppose each option:

4	3	2	1	0	8
Strongly	Mildly		Mildly	Strongly	Don't
Favor	Favor	Neutral	Oppose	Oppose	Know

Buy more school buses and start middle school and high school at the same time, 8.15am, and keep elementary start times at 9.00am:

8.15 HIGH -- 8.15 MIDDLE -- 9.00 ELEMENTARY

Count %

Strongly favor 92 24.0%

Mildly favor 90 23.3%

Neutral/Not sure 20 5.3%

Mildly oppose 60 15.6%

Strongly oppose 123 31.9%

Mean = 1.919

Start all schools 45 minutes later than they currently start, 8.15am for high schools, 9.00am for middle school, and 9.45am for elementary school:

8.15 HIGH -- 9.00 MIDDLE -- 9.45 ELEMENTARY

Count %

Strongly favor 52 13.5%

Mildly favor 69 18.0%

Neutral/Not sure 12 3.1%

Mildly oppose 93 24.2%

Strongly oppose 159 41.3%

Mean = 1.382

Switch the middle school and high school start time so middle school begins at 7.30am and high school begins at 8.15am. Elementary schools would still start at 9 am:

8.15 HIGH -- 7.30 MIDDLE -- 9.00 ELEMENTARY

Count %

Strongly favor 22 5.7%

Mildly favor 50 13.1%

Neutral/Not sure 19 4.8%

Mildly oppose 83 21.4%

Strongly oppose 212 55.0%

Mean = 0.932

Start elementary at 7:30am, middle schools at 8:15 and high schools at 9:00am:

9.00 HIGH -- 8.15 MIDDLE -- 7.30 ELEMENTARY

Count %

Strongly favor 28 7.2%

Mildly favor 16 4.2%

Neutral/Not sure 11 2.9%

Mildly oppose 33 8.6%

Strongly oppose 297 77.0%

Mean = 0.560

3B. I am going to read you two statements concerning start times. Please tell me if you strongly agree, mildly agree, mildly disagree or strongly disagree with each statement I read. (IF "AGREE" OR "DISAGREE", ASK "STRONGLY" OR "MILDLY"...)

4 3 2 1 0 8

Strongly Mildly Mildly Strongly Don't

Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Disagree Know

I don’t think high schools should start later because it will reduce opportunities for students to participate in afternoon activities:

HIGH SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT START LATER BECAUSE OF AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Count %

Strongly agree 126 32.6%

Mildly agree 76 19.7%

Neutral/Not sure 16 4.0%

Mildly disagree 72 18.6%

Strongly disagree 97 25.1%

Mean = 2.161

I think high schools should start later because high school students perform better academically with later start times:

HIGH SCHOOLS SHOULD START LATER BECAUSE STUDENTS BETTER

Count %

Strongly agree 129 33.1%

Mildly agree 55 14.2%

Neutral/Not sure 15 4.0%

Mildly disagree 75 19.6%

Strongly disagree 113 29.2%

Mean = 2.025

January 2002 Survey

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