Aptos High, Jr. High Starting Later in Day, By Jondi Gumz • Natasha’s

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Aptos High, Jr. High Starting Later in Day

By Jondi Gumz

When school resumes on Aug. 15, students and parents will notice starting times are changing dramatically.

Why?

Senate Bill 328, passed in 2019, took effect July 1.

It says: Middle schools cannot start before 8 a.m. and high schools cannot start before 8:30 a.m.

So, in Aptos, Aptos High starts at 8:30 a.m. and Aptos Junior High at 8:45 a.m.

The elementary schools, Mar Vista, Rio Del Mar and Valencia: 7:50 a.m.

Alicia Jimenez, public information officer for the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, explained via email,“ Elementary schools are not included on this mandate and students can start school at the times those school communities are accustomed to.”

This bill passed 44-20 in the Assembly with 15 members not voting, and 24-9 in the Senate with 5 members not voting, then signed by the governor.

Voting yes were Assembly members Robert Rivas and Mark Stone and Senator Bill Monning.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Anthony Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge, who followed the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatricians and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, the average start time for middle and high schools in California in 2011-12 was 8:07 a.m.

A widely-cited 2014 policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics supported later start times for adolescents.

Studies over the last 15 years investigating the impact of delayed school start times on student outcomes reached a wide variety of conclusions.

According to Portantino, “There is overwhelming evidence that moving high school and middle school start time later in the day increases academic performance and the public health of teenage students.”

Supporters argue that adolescents’ brains are “hard wired” to not sleep before 11 p.m., so simply going to bed earlier is not a solution. They contend schools benefit from later start times, because experience has shown they increases attendance (which increases school district revenue) and reduces tardiness and behavioral problems.

Until now, the state Education Code allowed school districts to set their own start times.

The Elk Grove Unified School District contended the later start “would present tremendous difficulties with significant opportunity costs. And because school schedules have such a wide-ranging and significant impact on operations and expenses, a great number of districts would be hurt by this legislation for a number of different reasons. Determining school schedules is a decision that even more than most should reflect specific conditions and be decided locally, not from Sacramento.” n

Natasha’s Run: Fighting Sex Trafficking

On June 12, dozens of people gathered at Aptos Village Park for the first annual Natasha’s Run for Justice, presented by Arukah Project and Truth2Freedom.

The event featured a 5k walk/run through Nisene Marks State Park, followed by a family day with jump houses, guest speakers, face painting, balloon twisting, a beer and wine garden, food trucks, and the Alison Sharino Band.

“Natasha’s Run” page 26