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Tim Post
St. Paul, Minn.

Keep early start times in place, St. Paul schools panel urges

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A committee is recommending the St. Paul school district keep early start times in place for older students next school year.

The district has been considering pushing the first school bell from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for middle and high school students.

Research shows starting class later improves older students' health and grades. But that would require elementary schools to start at 7:30 a.m. to accommodate changes to bus schedules.

"We've heard from many families that say 'If we move to a 7:30 a.m. elementary start time I'm going to have to pay more for childcare because I didn't need after school before and now I do,'" said Ryan Vernosh, the district's policy director who headed the committee examining start time changes.

• Earlier: School start time change plan divides St. Paul parents

The panel still wants the district to find a way to move back start times for older students, but not until 2016-2017 and without affecting elementary starts. The group decided the district needed more time to consider how changing start times affects families and students, Vernosh added.

The committee wants the district to explore the use of Metro Transit buses on some high school routes so elementary start times can remain the same. That's a move the Minneapolis Public Schools made in 2012.

The St. Paul school board will hear a report on the recommendation at a meeting on Tuesday night, and may act on the recommendation during its regular monthly board meeting next week.

Read the district's start time report