Montgomery To Study Later School Starting Times

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County school officials say they will study starting the school day later following a petition from parents.

The petition asks for school to start at 8:15 a.m., or later, instead of the current 7:25 a.m. Superintendent Joshua P. Starr made the announcement at a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday after parents delivered more than 10,000 signatures. Starr says a work group will examine county studies from the late 1990s, the latest research and other school systems.

The Washington Post reports that critics say the change will be costly and complex, noting school buses stagger routes, picking up high school students first and then middle and elementary students. Supporters say later opening lets students get more sleep and leads to better performance and attendance.

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