BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Senate Bill 328 is putting a snooze button on high school start times and now, all eyes are on school districts to see how making this change is going to happen.
The change in start time is meant to address health benefits for students resting more, but logistically, districts have to balance those benefits against economic and social consequences.
The Kern High School District discussed the impact of the new legislation Monday night, reviewing the impact on parents, extra-curricular activities, sport, ROC, and meals. Another big impact will be on busing amid an already difficult bus driver shortage.
One option was to have all schools start at a single start time. This option would extend the walk boundary for students to 3 miles, and the district would need to nearly double its number of operational school busses.
Associate superintendent Michael Zulfa said this option was not viable.
Another opetion was to shift school start times an hour. Zulfa said the was doable but concerns rose over Workforce schools, which would be ending close to 11 p.m.
another option was to overweight the 8:30 start time, having 12 schools start at 8:30 and 6 sites starting at 9:20.
KHSD board of trustees said they hope that parents who are unhappy with the new legislation and the impacts it’s having on scheduling should contact their legislators to try and delay the implementation of the new law.
