TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – State lawmakers will collect on Tuesday to start out the legislative session in Tallahassee.
One of many payments anticipated to be mentioned would reverse plans to push again college begin instances subsequent 12 months.
This reversal bill comes after a number of counties raised issues over the affect the later begin instances would have on households of their districts.
The query up within the air is whether or not or to not begin center and excessive schoolers later within the morning.
In 2023, a legislation got here into play the place districts needed to reschedule the beginning and finish instances of faculty days for each center and highschool college students. The legislation required center college courses to start out after 8:00 a.m. and highschool after 8:30 a.m., to provide college students extra sleep.
“I believe that children are simply going to remain up later, I imply, in the event that they’re staying up later now and getting much less sleep, pushing it forward isn’t going to do something however give them extra time to remain awake,” mentioned mom, Norma Tutt.
All of this was set to take impact by July 2026.
Within the meantime, college boards have needed to adhere to repair their instances to be in compliance, which created issues with issues together with bus routes.
“We want an hour in between bus instances, in between bell instances, and for us to get to completely different areas of the county,” mentioned Chairman of the District Advisory Council for Polk County Public Faculties Ryan DelliVeniri.
Some mother and father in several counties are involved with these new begin instances impacting sports activities.
“My daughter performed golf. That is a fall exercise, it will get darkish at what, 5, 5:30,” mentioned Tenesia Campbell. “So, in the event that they’re getting out of faculty at 3:30, how a lot time is there for them to essentially apply? You may’t see the ball at darkish.”
If the 2023 legislation is reversed with the brand new invoice, it can release college districts from having to repair their instances.
Some mother and father need the management to be within the palms of the varsity districts the place their kids go to highschool.
“I believe Gov. DeSantis ought to have left it as much as every county. You understand, have a broad legislation, however give the county the choice in the event that they wished to implement it or not,” Tutt mentioned.
If the brand new invoice is handed and signed into legislation, it can take impact in July 2025.
