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Presenter tells board pilot data on Senate Bill 296; district leans to keep earlier start times
Summary
District presenter Jill Rudd reviewed a pilot under Senate Bill 296 that tested later start times and said operational challenges — rural bus routes, parent work schedules and lost tutoring attendance — led the district to favor returning to earlier start times; leadership will meet next week before a final recommendation.
Jill Rudd presented results from a pilot related to Senate Bill 296 and told the Taylor County School Board the district concluded the current, earlier start times better serve its community.
Rudd said the pilot year used later start times (high school 8:30 a.m., middle school 8:15 a.m., elementary about 8:00–8:05 a.m.) while the current 2025–26 schedule begins earlier (primary/elementary 7:50 a.m., middle 7:40 a.m., high school 7:30 a.m., Steen Hatchee School 7:55 a.m.). She said the district saw several unintended consequences from later starts: conflicts with parents’ work schedules, missed after-school tutoring and activities for some rural students, longer bus runs and a shortage of drivers, and higher utility and contract costs from later dismissal times.
"The conclusion is earlier start times. We did definitely see an improved attendance," Rudd said, adding that about 10 students stopped attending tutoring when dismissal and travel times shifted later. She said the later schedule also led to students returning home as late as 6:30 p.m. in some cases, which reduced participation in after-school programs and teacher planning time.
Board members asked whether the district had surveyed parents; Rudd said parent surveys were completed last year during the pilot. Members also asked about grant funding to pay for additional buses and staff. Rudd said the two-year grant tied to the pilot was pulled and that the district did receive two buses but did not receive sufficient grant-funded drivers or aides before the pilot year; no ongoing funding remains.
Rudd said district leadership will meet next week with school administrators to develop a recommendation. She said the superintendent favors keeping the current earlier start times but that the leadership team will finalize any recommendation.
A procedural motion to accept the presentation as an acknowledgment passed by voice vote. The board did not adopt a final policy change at the meeting; the presentation is scheduled to be discussed further by district leadership.
