Center Grove board approves later student start times for 2025-26 school year

The Center Grove Community School Corp. board voted 5-0 to adopt new student start times for the 2025–26 school year, moving elementary start times 20 minutes later and middle and high school start times 30 minutes later, and eliminating early‑release Wednesdays. The board approved the change during its regularly scheduled meeting after a presentation by district administrators and a public comment period.

District administrators said the change is intended to align secondary start times more closely with adolescent sleep research and to create more consistent family schedules and teacher collaboration time. Dr. Long and Dr. Taylor presented survey results and a timeline for implementation and said the district will continue discussions about staff schedules separate from the student start-time decision.

Why it matters: Administrators cited health and academic research on adolescent sleep and told the board a later secondary start gives flexibility for teacher collaboration while preserving required instructional minutes. The district’s plan keeps daily dismissals roughly 10 minutes later than current times despite later start times, and administrators said families would have five months to adjust to the new schedule.

What the board heard and what data show: The district reported more than 3,000 parent/community survey responses and 418 staff responses collected during a roughly one-week window. Administrators summarized structured responses: parents and staff most commonly anticipated benefits from eliminating early‑release Wednesdays would be "more consistent family schedule" and "improved student learning routine," while common concerns included morning child-care needs and work-schedule conflicts. The proposed schedule would reduce middle/high individual student days by about 11 minutes and about 55 minutes across a full week; the elementary day would shift 20 minutes later with a slight net weekly-minute reduction.

Public comment at the meeting included teachers and parents. Will Hebner, a science teacher at Middle School Central, told the board he supports a later start but urged the district to consider a larger change than the current proposal: "Let's do it. But let's let's go for a longer time. Let's do it right the first time." Parent April McCracken, who said her youngest will be a senior next year, said she supports later secondary starts but urged the district to revisit logistics and bus turnaround times and suggested as an alternative: "Let's start elementary 08:00 and high school at 09:00." Another parent, Angie Langham of Bargersville, said she supports the change and urged the board to finalize the process: "I just wanna say thank you ... I'm ready to be done."

Board discussion and vote: After administration appealed to the board to approve the student start times and to allow staff‑schedule conversations to continue separately, Board member Mister Alexander moved to approve the student start times; Mister Russell seconded. Chair Mister Daniels called the voice vote: "Aye." Opposed: none. "The ayes have it. 5‑0."

Implementation and follow-up: Administrators said they will notify families and give five months for schedule adjustment, continue staff conversations about work-day timing and meeting schedules, and publish FAQs on the district start-times web page. The district reported it has discussed childcare providers including Honey Grove, which administrators said has indicated willingness to adjust operations if needed. Teachers’ start‑of‑day activities such as clubs, tutoring and special‑education case conferences remain an active planning topic; administrators proposed options such as flexing club times and using rolling substitutes to allow required meetings during the school day.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve new student start times for 2025–26 school year — mover: Mister Alexander; second: Mister Russell; outcome: approved, 5‑0.

Next step: The board’s action sets the student schedule for 2025–26; administrators will return with any required operational adjustments and staff‑schedule proposals for the board’s future consideration.