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Student representative urges later high school start times, cites sleep and mental-health research
Summary
Kaylene de Rose, the State Board student representative and an East Brunswick High School junior, told the board later secondary-school start times improve sleep, safety and mental health and urged districts to study shifting starts toward the American Academy of Pediatricsrecommended 8:30 a.m.
Kaylene de Rose, the State Board of Educationstudent representative and a rising junior at East Brunswick High School, told the board on Wednesday that many teens are sleep deprived and that later secondary-school start times can improve safety, attendance and mental health.
"When schools are closed, teens typically fall asleep and wake up later," Kaylene said, summarizing research on circadian rhythms and adolescent biology. She cited public-health sources and told the board New Jersey averages a start time around 7:51 a.m. since 2017. "It's not controversial to state that teens need to be getting more sleep," she said.
Kaylene urged districts to consider the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended start time of about 8:30 a.m. and pointed to local changes in her district, adding that East Brunswick moved its high-school start to 8:00 a.m. from 7:26 a.m. She tied later start times to improved grades, attendance and mood and said sleep deprivation increases risks such as dangerous driving and worsened mental health.
Board members praised Kaylene's presentation and asked follow-up questions. Mary Berry asked whether Kaylene's peers discussed device use at night and whether phones and screens affect sleep; Kaylene replied that screen light and late-night phone use do disrupt circadian rhythms and said device habits should be included in any study of start times.
The remarks drew approval from several board members but there was no formal motion or vote on start-time policy at Wednesday's meeting. The board encouraged further study and public testimony on education topics later in the day.
No action on statewide start-time rules was taken at this meeting; Kaylene and board members framed the issue as a subject for local boards and further review rather than an immediate regulatory change.
