At the last meeting of the School Board of the City of Virginia Beach, the Board voted unanimously to move forward with a change in school start times for Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) beginning in September of 2020.

This action comes after more than a year and a half of research, community input and Board discussion on the topic.

Specifically, the American Academy of Pediatrics named insufficient sleep in adolescents as a public health issue and shared that evidence shows earlier school start times (those before 8:30 a.m.) disrupt teenagers' sleeping patterns. Delaying start times, according to the academy, leads to a wide range of potential benefits, including in regards to mental health, safety and academic achievement.

Additionally, when surveyed, more than 71 percent of parents in the division supported an effort to develop a schedule that allows for later school start times for adolescents. 64 percent of staff and 60 percent of students were also in support.

With this direction from the Board, VBCPS administration will engage the community in conversations this winter regarding possible scheduling scenarios. Those opportunities will be widely shared with staff members, parents and students in order to garner the necessary feedback to bring forward a recommendation to the Board at its summer retreat in July.

As the work continues, information will be posted on vbschools.com.

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Department of Communications and Community Engagement, [email protected]

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