Plan for later California school starts gets mixed grades

LOS ANGELES - California school kids could be getting more time to sleep.

That’s the idea behind a proposal that’s cruising through the state Legislature that, if approved, would prohibit middle schools and high schools from starting earlier than 8:30 a.m.

A final vote could come next month.

To supporters, a delayed start time would allow students to get more rest, which would lead to better performance in the classroom. But others predict the plan would disrupt families and cause more problems than it would solve.

Meanwhile, the debate is playing out in school board meeting rooms around the state. Schools in Davis and Sacramento have already moved to the later start time.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Anthony Portantino, said studies show kids are not getting enough sleep, hurting their grades.

“I realized this was a significant public health issue,” said Portantino, a Democrat from La Canada Flintridge.