FCPS has been working to change the current start time of 7:30 a.m. for middle schools, with a target of starting at 8 a.m. or later. The county aims to finalize the changes by January, with a full implementation in the 2026-2027 school year. These changes arise from concerns over student sleep: according to the FCPS 2022 Fall Survey, 56% of 8th graders reported sleeping less than eight hours per night on average.
“Research that has come to light that shows adolescents need more sleep to improve every aspect of their life,” said Andy Mueck, FCPS Chief Operating Officer.
To initiate this change, FCPS first contracted Prismatic Services in 2023 to draft potential proposals. While six proposals were created, only one is currently being considered. Another proposal was later created by the FCPS transportation team. Both proposals do not require FCPS to spend additional resources.
“Currently, there are two options that are cost-neutral,” said Paul D’Andrade, Executive Director of the Office of Transportation Services. “[We’re] not adding any additional budgetary needs or buses.”
The first option delays high school start times by 50 minutes, meaning they will start at 9:00 a.m and end at 3:45 p.m. Middle schools will start at 9:35 a.m, extending their school days to 4:20 p.m. Elementary schools will either run from 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. or 8:10 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.
The second plan would move all schedules back by 30 minutes. High school would start at 8:40 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. This arrangement would cause middle schools to run from 8:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Elementary students would have a schedule that runs from 9:00 a.m. – 2:45 PM or 9:50 a.m. – 3:55 p.m.
“The transportation department is more in favor of option two,” said Tatia Prieto, lead consultant and founder of Prismatic Services. “FCPS just has to shift everything by 30 minutes, and they don’t have to figure out new routes or bus drivers.”
In the 2015-16 school year, FCPS established later start times, but only for high schools, pushing middle school start times earlier. After the revision, high schoolers were sleeping an average of 30 additional minutes a night, while middle schoolers lost up to an hour of sleep. Now, both options will give all students extra time to sleep.
“[Delays] will be overall better because everyone will [be able] to get more sleep,” junior Rebecca Chen said.
But some students feel that current start times are fine as they are.
“Right now, it’s the perfect time to be [waking] up,” freshman Laura Nhan said. “The reason why people aren’t getting enough sleep is not because of the start times, it’s because people are staying up really late.”
Despite consistent efforts, FCPS has faced some setbacks in creating a final plan. This is partially because of the need to coordinate new routes that are compatible with the ongoing revision of school boundaries.
“A struggle with large school systems is that they tend to move slowly,” Prieto said. “[FCPS] wants to time [new] school start time with the boundary alignment process.”
Parents with younger children have concerns about the new end times, having to leave work early or find afterschool programs.
“The new start times conflict with my son’s schedule. I’m concerned with afterschool care,” English teacher and parent Michael Enos said. “The start times impact the elementary schoolers and [they’re] getting out earlier, I would have to find afterschool care which costs more money and [require] planning.”
Recently, FCPS has also struggled to find an adequate number of bus drivers. In 2023, a shortage of around 100 bus drivers led to students arriving late to their destinations as bus drivers doubled up on routes. These combined logistical issues will pose a challenge as FCPS finishes the process.
“We have the largest public school bus fleet in the country,” Mueck said. “[Our buses cover] 130,000 students, 45,000 bus stops and 6,000 routes every day. It’s a big, challenging puzzle to figure out.”
