Update: High School Start Time Review

At the start of the 2016-17 school year, the district moved the start time for all of our comprehensive high schools from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. At that time, we committed to reviewing that decision after a two-year implementation to determine the impacts of the change. In recent weeks, we completed our review of the high school start time. Our high school late start review included, though was not limited to, a review of the impact on transportation, early releases from school for athletics and extra-curricular activities, student attendance at tutorial, grades, attendance and on-time arrivals to first period. We also reviewed the start times of neighboring districts and administered a survey to students, staff and parents of high school students. Over 72% of our high school students and over 1,200 parents responded to the survey.

At the April 17, 2018 School Board meeting, we provided an update to the Board on the findings from the high school start time review. Some of the challenges the current schedule created for students, such as a decrease in student participation during the half-hour tutorial session, inaccessibility of teacher support to students after school and an increase in early releases for students during sixth and seventh period due to league competitions, can be alleviated with an adjustment to the schedule.

Specifics shared with the Board may be accessed at https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/bsd405/Board.nsf/Public within the May 15, 2018 School Board notes, Section 5.2.

At the Tuesday, June 5, 2018 School Board meeting, we will recommend that the School Board make the following adjustment to the comprehensive high school schedule:

• Maintain the current 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. timeframe at comprehensive high schools (Bellevue, Interlake, Newport, and Sammamish)
• Move the half-hour tutorial from the beginning of the school day (8:00 – 8:30 a.m.) to the end of the school day (from 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.) for comprehensive high schools
• Move the start time of first period to 8:00 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. (after tutorial) for comprehensive high schools
• Maintain the current schedule at the two choice high schools (Big Picture and International)

The School board is expected to vote on the 2018-2019 high school start time recommendation at the June 5, 2018 Board Meeting.

Should you have questions and/or concerns related to the proposed June 5, 2018 high school start time recommendation, please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Patty Siegwarth at [email protected] or by calling (425) 456-4109.