High school students everywhere are expected to wake up before the sun rises five days a week to get themselves to school on time and remain attentive for the next eight hours.

The average high school class begins at 7:59 a.m.; nine hours after the average teenager goes to bed, according to the National Sleep Foundation. However, studies have shown that such early start times are potentially harmful to high schoolers’ academic performance and mental health.

In 1996, Edina High School (EHS) pushed its start time back to 8:25 a.m. as an attempt to align with teenagers’ normal sleeping patterns. Since the switch, EHS has noticed improved attendance, less tardiness, and fewer signs of depression in their students.

“[Now] we see fewer attendance and discipline issues, and students seem more engaged during class and in school activities,” said Dr. Bruce Locklear, EHS Principal.

EHS hopes to continue to see benefits derive from its decision to switch.

“Initially, there were concerns about potential impacts on after-school activities, but we have not had any issues coordinating with other schools and feel the academic benefits outweigh potential scheduling inconveniences,” Locklear said. “We have nearly 20 years of success with the later start time and are not looking to change it.”

Last year, over 9,000 high school students from Minnesota, Colorado, and Wyoming were observed by the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities’ Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI). The study showed that students who began their school day later were more likely to show up to school, receive better grades and higher test scores, and were less prone to substance abuse and depression.

After noting the results of the study, several other Minnesota schools, including Wayzata High School (WHS), began to consider pushing back their schedules as well.

When the idea to change schedules arose, a survey was conducted within the entire Wayzata School District asking parents, staff, and students for their feedback. WHS is currently still weighing potential benefits and drawbacks of a schedule change as they work through the decision-making process.

In addition to EHS and WHS, St. Paul Public Schools recently decided to conduct a pilot project next school year at Johnson High School, which will start at 8:30 a.m.

HHS has considered the research and statistics presented, but many factors play a role in scheduling matters.

“It’s the Hopkins School Board that sets the schedules, and those are largely dictated by transportation and how complicated that can be, as well as fitting in extracurricular activities,” said Tyson Crockett, Dean of Students.

While HHS start times remain constant, talk of alteration continues to circulate the school district.

“In the future – I would just be giving my opinion about this because I am not on the school board nor do I have influence over them – but I would say knowing our school board and seeing them operate, I think they are a very progressive group of people and I would guess that they have read the same article and looked at what is going on with these other schools, and would certainly be involved in conversations about what that could potentially look like for HHS,” Crockett said.

Although change isn’t promising for HHS in the foreseeable future, it is not impossible as further research surfaces.