Are flexible school start times associated with higher academic grades? A 4-year longitudinal study.

The mismatch between teenagers' late sleep phase and early school start time results in acute and chronic sleep reductions. This is not only harmful for students' learning in the short-term but may impact on students' career prospects and widen social inequalities. Delaying school start times has been shown to improve sleep but whether this translates to better achievement is unresolved. The current evidence is limited due to a plethora of outcome measures and the many factors influencing sleep and grade/score trajectories. Here, we studied whether 0.5-1.5 years of exposure to a flexible school start system, with the daily choice of an 8AM or 8:50AM-start (intervention), allowed secondary school students (n=63-157, 14-19 years) to improve their quarterly school grades in a 4-year longitudinal pre-post design. We investigated whether sleep, changes in sleep or frequency of later starts predicted grade improvements in the flexible system. Our mixed model regressions with 5,111-16,724 official grades as outcomes did not indicate meaningful grade improvements in the flexible system per se or with previously observed sleep variables (nor their changes) - the covariates academic quarter, discipline and grade level had a greater, more systematic effect in our sample. Importantly, this finding does not preclude improvements in learning and cognition in our sample. However, at the 'dose' received here, intermittent sleep benefits did not obviously translate into detectable grade changes, which is in line with several other studies and highlights that grades are suboptimal to evaluate timetabling interventions despite their importance for future success.

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Sleepmore in Seattle: Later school start times are associated with more sleep and better performance in high school students

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.aau6200 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (12) ◽

pp. eaau6200 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Gideon P. Dunster ◽

Luciano de la Iglesia ◽

Miriam Ben-Hamo ◽

Claire Nave ◽

Jason G. Fleischer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Secondary School ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Research Study ◽

School Students ◽

Start Time ◽

Adolescent Sleep ◽

Single Intervention ◽

School Start Times

Most teenagers are chronically sleep deprived. One strategy proposed to lengthen adolescent sleep is to delay secondary school start times. This would allow students to wake up later without shifting their bedtime, which is biologically determined by the circadian clock, resulting in a net increase in sleep. So far, there is no objective quantitative data showing that a single intervention such as delaying the school start time significantly increases daily sleep. The Seattle School District delayed the secondary school start time by nearly an hour. We carried out a pre-/post-research study and show that there was an increase in the daily median sleep duration of 34 min, associated with a 4.5% increase in the median grades of the students and an improvement in attendance.

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The Relationship of School Start Times, Sleep Duration and Mental Health among a Representative Sample of High School Students in Colorado, 2019

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115708 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5708

Author(s):

Lucas M. Neuroth ◽

Ming Ma ◽

Ashley Brooks-Russell ◽

Motao Zhu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

School Students ◽

Start Time ◽

Early Start ◽

Student Mental Health ◽

School Start Times ◽

Late Start

This cross-sectional study utilized responses from 46,537 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in 166 high schools across the state of Colorado via the 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey to: (1) quantify the association between high school start times and student sleep duration and (2) investigate the associations between school start times and student mental health. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to investigate associations between school start times and self-reported demographic, sleep, and mental health factors. Survey-weighted multivariate regression modeling was used to investigate associations between school start times, sleep duration, and mental health. Schools with late start times (≥8:30 a.m.) saw 32.2% (95% Confidence Interval: 29.5–35.0) of students sleeping 8 h or more relative to 23.2% (22.0–24.4) in schools with very early start times (<8:00 a.m.). For every 15 min later school start time, students’ sleep duration was 4.6 (3.4–5.9) min longer. Students attending schools with very early start times had 1.10 (0.95–1.27) times the odds of attempting suicide compared to those attending schools with later start times, while students at schools with early starts (8:00–8:29 a.m.) were associated with 1.11 (0.98–1.27) times the odds. Schools with later school start times had a statistically significantly higher proportion of students sleeping 8+ hours. Schools with start times before 8:30 a.m. had 10–11% higher odds of students attempting suicide compared to schools with late start times, though these differences were not statistically significant. Student mental health should continue to be investigated when assessing the potential impacts of delayed school start times.

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Changing school start times: impact on sleep in primary and secondary school students

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab048 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa J Meltzer ◽

Kyla L Wahlstrom ◽

Amy E Plog ◽

Matthew J Strand

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Daytime Sleepiness ◽

Large Scale ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

School Students ◽

Start Time ◽

School Start Times ◽

K 12 ◽

The Impact

Abstract Study Objectives To examine the impact of changing school start times on sleep for primary (elementary school: ES) and secondary (middle and high school: MS/HS) students. Methods Students (grades 3–12) and parents (grades K-12) were surveyed annually, before and for 2 years after school start time changes (ES: 60 min earlier, MS: 40–60 min later; HS: 70 min later). Student sleep and daytime sleepiness were measured with school-administered student surveys and parent-proxy online surveys. Results Approximately 28,000 students annually completed surveys (~55% White, ~21% free/reduced lunch [FRL]). One-year post-change, weekday bedtimes and wake times were slightly earlier for ES students, with an 11-min decrease in sleep duration. MS and HS students reported slightly later weekday bedtimes, significantly later wake times, and significantly longer sleep duration (MS: 29 min; HS: 45 min). The percent of ES students reporting sufficient sleep duration, poor sleep quality, or daytime sleepiness did not change, but the percent of MS and HS students reporting sufficient sleep duration significantly increased and clinically significant daytime sleepiness decreased. All results were maintained at the 2-year follow-up. Benefits of later start times were similar across racial and free/reduced lunch groups. Conclusions This is the first large scale, longitudinal, and representative study to concurrently examine the impact of changing school start times across students in primary/secondary school. Findings suggest a minimal impact of earlier start times on ES students’ sleep or daytime sleepiness, while further supporting the significant benefits of delaying MS and HS start times on student sleep and daytime sleepiness.

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Answering the Bell: High School Start Times and Student Academic Outcomes

AERA Open ◽

10.1177/2332858418812424 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 233285841881242 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kevin C. Bastian ◽

Sarah C. Fuller

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Disadvantaged Students ◽

School Students ◽

Start Time ◽

Course Grades ◽

Level Data ◽

Cost Effective Approach ◽

School Start Times

We contribute to the school start time literature by using statewide student-level data from North Carolina to estimate start time effects for all students and for traditionally disadvantaged students. Descriptively, we found that urban high schools were likely to start very early or late. Later start times were associated with positive student engagement outcomes (reduced suspensions, higher course grades), especially for disadvantaged students. Achievement results were mixed, with positive and negative associations between start times and high school students’ test scores. Continued research is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of later start times as a scalable and cost-effective approach for boosting engagement and achievement.

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Later school start times in a flexible system improve teenage sleep

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsz307 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Eva C Winnebeck ◽

Maria T Vuori-Brodowski ◽

Anna M Biller ◽

Carmen Molenda ◽

Dorothee Fischer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Outcomes ◽

Health Concern ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Start Time ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Flexible System ◽

Sleep Diaries ◽

12Th Grade ◽

School Start Times ◽

Senior Students

Abstract Sleep deprivation in teenage students is pervasive and a public health concern, but evidence is accumulating that delaying school start times may be an effective countermeasure. Most studies so far assessed static changes in schools start time, using cross-sectional comparisons and one-off sleep measures. When a high school in Germany introduced flexible start times for their senior students—allowing them to choose daily between an 8 am or 9 am start (≥08:50)—we monitored students’ sleep longitudinally using subjective and objective measures. Students (10–12th grade, 14–19 y) were followed 3 weeks prior and 6 weeks into the flexible system via daily sleep diaries (n = 65) and a subcohort via continuous wrist-actimetry (n = 37). Satisfaction and perceived cognitive outcomes were surveyed at study end. Comparisons between 8 am and ≥9 am-starts within the flexible system demonstrated that students slept 1.1 h longer when starting school later—independent of gender, grade, chronotype, and frequency of later starts; sleep offsets were delayed but, importantly, onsets remained unchanged. Sleep quality was increased and alarm-driven waking reduced. However, overall sleep duration in the flexible system was not extended compared to baseline—likely because students did not start later frequently enough. Nonetheless, students were highly satisfied with the flexible system and reported cognitive and sleep improvements. Therefore, flexible systems may present a viable alternative for implementing later school starts to improve teenage sleep if students can be encouraged to use the late-option frequently enough. Flexibility may increase acceptance of school start changes and speculatively even prevent delays in sleep onsets through occasional early starts.

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One year later: longitudinal effects of flexible school start times on teenage sleep and subjective psychological outcomes

10.1101/2021.07.27.453940 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna M Biller ◽

Carmen Molenda ◽

Giulia Zerbini ◽

Till Roenneberg ◽

Eva C Winnebeck

Keyword(s):

Psychological Functioning ◽

Conclusive Evidence ◽

Sleep Diary ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Psychological Benefits ◽

School Students ◽

Flexible System ◽

School Start Times ◽

Late Start

Early school times fundamentally clash with the late sleep of teenagers. This mismatch results in chronic sleep deprivation, which poses acute and long-term health risks and impairs students' learning. Despite conclusive evidence that delaying school times has immediate benefits for sleep, the long-term effects on sleep are unresolved due to a shortage of longitudinal data. Here, we studied whether a flexible school start system, with the daily choice of an 8AM or 08:50AM-start, allowed secondary school students to improve their sleep and psychological functioning in a longitudinal pre-post design over exactly 1 year. Based on 2 waves, each with 6-9 weeks of daily sleep diary, we found that students maintained their 1-hour-sleep gain on days with later starts, both longitudinally (n=28) and cross-sectionally (n=79). This sleep gain was independent of chronotype and frequency of later starts but differed between genders. Girls were more successful in keeping early sleep onsets despite later sleep offsets, whereas boys delayed their onsets and thus had reduced sleep gains after 1 year. Students also reported psychological benefits (n=93), increased sleep quality and reduced alarm- driven waking on later school days. Despite these benefits on later schooldays, overall sleep duration was not extended in the flexible system. This was likely due to the persistently low uptake of the late- start option. If uptake can be further promoted, the flexible system is an appealing alternative to a fixed delay of school starts owing to possible circadian advantages (speculatively through prevention of phase-delays) and psychological mechanisms (e.g. sense of control).

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Using Brain-Breaks® as a Technology Tool to Increase Attitude towards Physical Activity among Students in Singapore

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11060784 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 784

Author(s):

Govindasamy Balasekaran ◽

Ahmad Arif Bin Ibrahim ◽

Ng Yew Cheo ◽

Phua Kia Wang ◽

Garry Kuan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Mixed Model ◽

School Curriculum ◽

Control Group ◽

School Students ◽

Mixed Model Analysis ◽

Before And After ◽

Brain Breaks ◽

Student's Attitudes ◽

The Brain

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of classroom-based Brain Breaks® Physical Activity Solution in Southeast Asia Singaporean primary school students and their attitude towards physical activity (PA) over a ten-week intervention. A total of 113 participants (8–11 years old) were randomly assigned to either an experimental (EG) or a control group (CG), with six classes to each group; the Brain Breaks® group (EG: six classes) and the Control group (CG: six classes). All EG members participated in a Brain Breaks® video intervention (three–five min) during academic classes and the CG continued their lessons as per normal. The student’s attitudes towards PA in both research conditions were evaluated using the self–reported Attitudes toward Physical Activity Scale (APAS), applied before and after intervention. The effects of the intervention on APAS scores were analysed using a mixed model analysis of variance with Time as within-subject and Group as between-subject factors. The analysis revealed evidence in support of the positive effect of classroom video interventions such as Brain Breaks® on student’s attitudes toward benefits, importance, learning, self-efficacy, fun, fitness, and trying to do their personal best in PA. The Brain Breaks® intervention provided a positive significant impact on students in Singapore. This study also revealed that interactive technology tools implemented into the school curriculum benefit students in terms of health and education.

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Academic Burnout and Academic Achievement among Secondary School Students in Kenya

Education Research International ◽

10.1155/2020/5347828 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Syprine Oyoo ◽

Peter Mwaura ◽

Theresia Kinai ◽

Josephine Mutua

Keyword(s):

Academic Achievement ◽

Secondary School ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽

Student Survey ◽

School Students ◽

Academic Burnout ◽

Context Data ◽

Academic Grades ◽

The Relationship

The study examined the relationship between academic burnout and academic achievement among secondary school students in the Kenyan context. Data were collected from 714 form 4 students (equivalent to 12th graders) drawn from 31 public secondary schools. The Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey was used. Academic achievement was measured using students’ grades in end of term examinations. The results of the Pearson product moment correlation of coefficient revealed a significant inverse relationship between academic burnout and academic achievement (r (712) = −0.24, p<0.01). Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that academic efficacy significantly predicted academic achievement (β = 0.18, p<0.01). A key implication of the findings is that examination-oriented approach to learning be reduced to ease the pressure exerted on learners for good academic grades.

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Correlates of Infrequent Plain Water Intake Among US High School Students: National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2017

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117120911885 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 549-554

Author(s):

Sohyun Park ◽

Stephen Onufrak ◽

Angie Cradock ◽

Anisha Patel ◽

Christina Hecht ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Risk Behavior ◽

Water Intake ◽

Plain Water ◽

Youth Risk Behavior Survey ◽

School Students ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Younger Age ◽

Academic Grades

Purpose: To examine factors associated with frequency of plain water (ie, tap, bottled, and unflavored sparkling water) intake among US high school students. Design: Quantitative, cross-sectional study. Setting: The 2017 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. Subjects: US high school students with plain water intake data (N = 10 698). Measures: The outcome was plain water intake. Exposure variables were demographics, academic grades, and behavioral characteristics. Analysis: We used logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with infrequent plain water intake (<3 vs ≥3 times/day). Results: Overall, 48.7% of high school students reported drinking plain water <3 times/day. Factors associated with infrequent plain water intake were younger age (≤15 years; aOR = 1.20, CI = 1.05-1.37); earning mostly D/F grades (aOR = 1.37, CI = 1.07-1.77); consuming regular soda 1 to 6 times/week (aOR = 1.92, CI = 1.67-2.20) or ≥1 time/day (aOR = 3.23, CI = 2.65-3.94), sports drinks 1 to 6 times/week (aOR = 1.30, CI = 1.14-1.49), milk <2 glasses/day (aOR = 1.51, CI = 1.31-1.73), fruits <2 times/day (aOR = 1.92, CI = 1.66-2.22), and vegetables <3 times/day (aOR = 2.42, CI = 2.04-2.89); and being physically active ≥60 minutes/day on <5 days/week (aOR = 1.83, CI = 1.60-2.08). Students with obesity were less likely to have infrequent water intake (aOR = 0.63, CI = 0.53-0.74). Conclusions: Infrequent plain water intake was associated with younger age, poor academic grades, poor dietary behaviors, and physical inactivity. These findings can inform intervention efforts to increase water intake to promote healthy lifestyles among adolescents.

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