New state law means some Treasure Coast high schools likely to continue early start times
Indian River and St. Lucie teens hoping for extra morning sleep next school year will have to wait for school holidays. A new state law essentially eliminated a 2023 mandate for later middle and high school start times.
The 2023 state law required middle schools to begin no earlier than 8 a.m., and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m., citing studies that showed teens perform better with a later start to their school day. On the Treasure Coast, Indian River County high schools begin at 7:05 a.m. and St. Lucie County's start at 7:33 a.m. Only Martin County high schools begin at 8:30 a.m.
After school districts complained that changing school start times would cost millions to alter school bus routes, state lawmakers considered alternatives.
SB 296, which was signed into law in June by Gov. Ron DeSantis, now allows school districts to be in compliance if they report their school start times and detail steps they've taken to implement later start times at middle and high schools. The report must describe the impact later start times would have on the district and any unintended consequences to the school district, students and the community.
That new law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June, was effective July 1.
St. Lucie middle schools already comply with 2023 law
With the change in law, no schedule adjustments are planned to school start times in St. Lucie County schools, said spokeswoman Lydia Martin in a statement. St. Lucie County had estimated the change would cost about $30 million because of needed changes to bus routes, Martin said. That included $20 million for additional buses and $24 million in staffing, she said.
The district's middle schools already are in compliance, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., Martin said.
Indian River schools planning no changes
Indian River County middle and high school students will see no changes in start times to the 2025-2026 school year, officials said.
But the district still might survey parents to gauge interest in changing the start times, said School Board member Peggy Jones.
"We will decide as a community if we need to change anything," Jones said. "We are going to have to discuss as a community to see what works."
Changing bus routes could be costly, Jones said. In addition, working parents often need older students home for after-school childcare.
"That's huge for a lot of parents," Jones said. "We'll see what works, (and) see what doesn't."
Martin County schools already later
Martin County plans no changes for the 2025-2026 school year. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the new year's start times at its July 15 meeting.
In 2024, the district adjusted its start times slightly to be one of the first to comply with the 2023 law. The state provided a monetary incentive to districts that complied early.
Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers. She covers school districts in Indian Rier, Martin and St. Lucie counties.