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Sarasota school leaders recommend seeking waiver from state start-time mandate, cite bus capacity and staffing limits
Summary
Superintendent Connor recommended the board pursue a state waiver and adopt a three-tier start-time model for traditional schools to preserve current routines and reduce transportation costs; transportation leaders said the change could free about 35 buses daily but flagged driver shortages and an $89,000,000 annual shortfall in current services.
Superintendent Connor told the Sarasota County School Board at its Dec. 2 workshop that the district will pursue a waiver to the state law mandating later middle- and high-school start times in 2026–27 and urged a districtwide move to consistent three-tier start times for traditional schools.
"What I would like to recommend to the board is that we do submit a waiver," Connor said, summarizing staff recommendations after community meetings and surveys.
The nut of the proposal is operational: Dr. Kemp, who presented the transportation analysis, said standardizing traditional comprehensive schools to three start times — 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. — would preserve current…
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