A later start for students would help! Wikipedia

Later start times could allow students to be more mentally prepared for school. Creative Commons

“California dreamin’ . . .  on such a winter’s dayyyyyyyy!” I belted out alongside The Mamas & the Papas, as I gazed out into the crowd of screaming fans. Of course, I was alone in the backseat of my mom’s car and singing a duet with the radio, but my 9-year old self could pretend.

It had been a long time since I dreamed of being in California, but that all changed when I got wind of proposed Senate Bill 328. If passed, California middle and high schools would be prevented from starting the school day until 8:30AM. I read the headlines and chuckled, half-annoyed and half-amused. California kids had all the luck. They get good weather, LeBron, and more sleep? I glanced at the time and sighed. Can’t be late for my normal-timed school.

By now, it’s just about common knowledge that sleep is beneficial to students’ learning. Being well-rested allows kids to be alert during class, retain information effectively, and have enough energy to make it through the day. So why didn’t any other state, or even California, for that matter, do something like this earlier?

Opposers of the bill bring up logistic issues, including the forced change to school systems’ class, bus, and sports schedules, but these all sound like excuses to me. This is school we’re talking about; the main goal is to educate the students and prepare them for the next stage of their life. Of course, institutions having to alter their long-standing ways would be a hassle, but the evaluation of any school’s actions should be judged on how it affects the kids’ learning first.

Unfortunately, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 328 last month, putting a temporary end to the possibility. But the debate has sparked national interest, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the bill is passed in California in the near future, or a similar one goes through elsewhere.

When I look around the lounge before school, I see kids with fluttering eyelids in every direction, who will probably spend a good portion of their first-period class trying to keep themselves awake. I don’t see many that look ready to learn. There’s a simple solution to this glaring problem, and many Californians seem to be one step ahead. Your move, Ohio.