Here at Costa Mesa High School, we have late start days on Mondays. Many of us also had early release days on Wednesdays in elementary school.
Some people love the late starts, but some want to go back and have early outs. I decided to ask some students and teachers here at Mesa and asked which one they would prefer.
Surveys have gone around the world, and many students, parents, and teachers have different opinions. Most of the students around the United States prefer to have a late start since they get an extra 20 minutes to sleep in.
Charlie Kash, a student here at Mesa, said, “I prefer a late start because it gives me an extra 25 minutes to relax and even get more sleep. I also like how it is on Mondays; it gives us a nice break.”
Biological data supports Charlie’s preference. Adolescents experience a natural shift in their circadian rhythm (called “sleep phase delay”) that makes them biologically programmed to fall asleep later and wake later. Melatonin production in teens doesn’t begin until around 11 PM, making it difficult for them to fall asleep earlier, and teens need 8-10 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. Early school starts often force them to wake before their bodies are ready.
The Hitching Post also interviewed another student here at Mesa, and that was Jude Chandler, “I wish we had early out because I just want to go home, and I just remember all the good times I had after getting out early from elementary school.”
In contrast, surveys have stated that both parents and teachers prefer early out to late start. Parents don’t like late starts because it conflicts with their work schedule, so it’s harder to get their kids to school.
The teachers might prefer early out because late start doesn’t really apply to them. Our Costa Mesa math teacher agreed with that, as Mr. Cardenas stated, “Although like students, a late start doesn’t apply to us teachers, so I would rather have an early out since it does somewhat apply to us.”
Even though many people have their own opinions, there is a lot of data that shows that one benefits the student better than the other. Recent surveys and observations have shown that a late start has increased the GPA and grades of students. The data shows that the students are getting better test scores due to getting more sleep, being able to get to school on time, and having better attention spans due to more sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC both recommend middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 AM.
All in all, a late start seems to be the most favored and most popular, and like most of the schools in the United States, we here at Costa Mesa High School have a late start.
