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Osceola School Board begins study of later bell times under Senate Bill 296
Summary
District staff presented three transportation scenarios and potential costs as the board begins required community outreach and prepares a report to the state Department of Education by June 1, 2026.
The District of Osceola County School Board on Tuesday began a yearlong review of school start times after state lawmakers approved Senate Bill 296, which requires districts to document community input and implementation plans and report start times for elementary, middle and high schools to the Department of Education by June 1, 2026.
Scott Noble, the district’s chief operating officer, presented three routing scenarios and said the district will use town-hall meetings and ParentSquare to collect community feedback before making any formal change. "The requirements of Senate Bill 296 ... have to be, in effect by 06/01/2026," Noble said during the presentation.
The review responds to a state change that bars middle schools from starting earlier than 8:00 a.m. and high schools from starting earlier than 8:30 a.m., unless a district documents community input and provides a rationale to the Department of Education. Noble said the district’s current 2025–26 schedule lists…
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