Illinois lawmakers are exploring a bill that would establish guidelines for what time high schools start instruction for the day.
HB 2951, introduced by Grayslake-based State Rep. Laura Faver Dias, would prohibit public high schools in the state of Illinois from starting their days prior to 8:45 a.m.
The bill will go before the Education Policy Committee on Wednesday in Springfield, according to the Illinois General Assembly’s website.
Dias was recently joined in Springfield by students from Libertyville High School, who are among those advocating for the bill.
“I am so proud of Benjamin, Addie, Maya, Lorin, Victoria, Tyler, and Kaitlyn for their advocacy and involvement in our civic process. We need to hear the voices of young Illinoisans as we consider the future of our state, and I look forward to seeing more young constituents down in Springfield,” she said in a Facebook post.
According to Chalkbeat, Libertyville High School has adjusted start times and has seen positive results as a result of the change.
The publication also cited a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey that found 77% of students are not sleeping enough, with the American Academy of Pediatrics pushing for schools to adopt later start times.
The American Psychological Association has also argued in favor of later start times, with those changes “correlating with improved mood, better attendance and grades.”
The National Education Association highlighted some of those studies, but also expressed concerns about the scheduling of after-school extracurricular activities and the potential impacts on parents if school day schedules are moved back.