There always is a protest when a school considers starting later for older kids, not little ones.

That doesn’t sound like it makes any sense. They are little. They take longer. The weather could be worse.

However, there is a sound basis for concluding that adolescents really do need more sleep. One school system which experimented with a later start schedule found both students and teachers much happier.

Scientific American

“Teachers get exasperated at students—they don’t pay attention, they’re sleepy, they have bad attitudes. But improvement could be a matter of timing—just start school later. That’s according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. [Citation to come.]

“Beginning at adolescence, kids have what’s called a delayed sleep phase, where they start sleep later and sleep later in the morning. And they need plenty—about nine-and-a-quarter hours a night.

“The researchers evaluated 201 Rhode Island high school students whose school pushed back its start time from 8 to 8:30. The kids completed a sleep habits survey before and after the time change.

“Before the study, teachers, coaches and administrators all resisted the later start. After, nearly all voted to keep it in place. A half-hour change for happier, better students? Seems like a good time for all.”

Source: Scientific American, July 5, 2010

Citation: Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, citation information to come.