Is NH the Next State to Mandate Later School Start Times?

Waking at the crack of dawn to catch a bus will be a thing of the past for California kids.

Sunday, October 13th, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill which will allow the states school children to sleep later. According to the LA Times, they became the first state in America to mandate later start times at most public schools.

This won't happen overnight. According to the LA Times, this is being rolled out over a three-year period. Gov Newsom said in a statement: “The science shows that teenage students who start their day later increase their academic performance, attendance, and overall health.”

This is a question which has lingered for years. Assemblyman Todd Gloria told the LA Times: “Teenagers in this country are sleep deprived. ... It is a public health epidemic, and according to conclusive medical research, the primary cause of this epidemic is the early school start times that are not aligned with biological sleep needs of adolescent children.”

Others are not convinced, or that the entire state should comply.

Would later start times work in the Granite State? Factoring in long bus rides, due to the rural nature of much of the state, the debate will likely continue for years. What do you think?