On Tuesday, Bellevue School District (BSD) Superintendent Dr. Tim Mills and Mercer Island School District (MISD) Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano announced the formation of the joint High School Start-Time Committee to explore possible implications of changing start times, including the impacts on academics, athletics and other school activities. Recommendations would be submitted to the superintendents no later than June 30, 2015.

“Research suggests that high school students are not getting the sleep they need to be as effective as they can be in class. This could be one way to improve student learning by improving student health. This committee will review research on the topic so we can discuss the feasibility of any changes in an evidence-based manner,” said Dr. Plano.

“Our communities are intertwined, so the Bellevue and Mercer Island schools districts are working together because any schedule changes could have a regional impact,” added Dr. Mills.

The committee will be responsible for reading research provided on high school start times and the potential impact on student learning, as well as reviewing case studies on how districts across the country have made the change. Committee members will serve as liaisons between their representative groups and the committee. Following the review of research and case studies, the committee will actively solicit community input, study feasibility of starting later, and create a recommendation of whether to implement any change to the high school start times.

The 10-member High School Start-Time Committee consists of parents, teachers and administrators from each of the school districts, as well as MISD Director of Transportation and Emergency Management Todd Kelsay and BSD Deputy Superintendent Eva Collins.

Richard Withycombe, from Withycombe Scotten & Associates in Portland, Ore., will facilitate the work of the committee. Two years ago, Withycombe facilitated the school boundary review process for Bellevue and is currently performing the same service for Mercer Island with the Boundary Committee.

More information about the committee, along with meeting agendas and minutes, can be found on the High School Start-Time Committee webpage of the MISD website.