By Julie BUTCHER

“My concern is how it will affect zero period in high school,” said parent Leanne Levine, a parent of a senior in high school.

Her concern is regarding SB 328, legislation adopted this week that will force schools to start later in the morning.

SB 328, sponsored by State Senator Anthony Portantino, mandates later school start times, to be phased in over the next three years following collective bargaining with school unions, for school year 2022-23. High schools cannot start regular classes before 8:30 am in the morning, middle schools no earlier than 8:00 am.

The controversial bill has been strongly opposed by the California Teachers Association (CTA) and was previously vetoed by former governor Jerry Brown.

“School start times should be decided at the local level and include community input. Local leaders, with this input, are best prepared to make these decisions that will best meet the needs of the students,” the union wrote, opposing the bill.

The union’s concerns continue with the passage of legislation. “SB 328 could have a disproportionately negative impact on working families, particularly laborers and service industry employees who don’t have the option of starting their workday later,” said CTA spokesperson Claudia Briggs.

“We know from experience that many of these parents will drop their children off at school at the same time they do now, regardless of whether there is supervision, and there is not enough funding from the state for before school programs to ensure the safety of students who will be dropped off early.”

“The California PTA sponsored and supported SB 328 and celebrated Portantino’s commitment after it passed. Portantino has worked closely with the California PTA to put student health first in the conversation. We are grateful for his dedication to the late school start initiative and for the opportunity to partner with him on this effort. When teens get enough sleep, they are safer, healthier and do better in school. The California State PTA is proud to co-sponsor this bill and looks forward to helping implement this historic initiative across our state,” California State PTA president Carol Kocivar said. 

Elementary schools are not impacted by the law, which focuses on start times for middle and high schools.

Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) did not take an official position on the legislation and cannot yet determine if there will be additional costs associated with the implementation of the start time change. Because the district’s middle schools already start at 8:00 am, only the five high schools will be affected. GUSD communications director Kristine Nam indicated that the details and the implementation plans will be best worked out by teams of high school principals, teachers, students, and staff, school-by-school. Details such as how many students participate in “period 0” activities and classes (those that begin before the normal start of school) need to be considered, Nam noted.

In response to concerns raised about the impact on working families, Senator Portantino’s office replied, “SB 328 undeniably will dramatically help all our children academically, medically, and socially. Data shows that children in working family households are negatively affected under the current system since they get significantly less sleep than other children. Data also shows that these same children show an increase in attendance and test scores after moving start times later. The idea that there is one perfect school start time for all working families is a false narrative as currently schools start at a myriad of different times and families appropriately adjust. Opponents of SB 328 are asking the right questions and then in turn are discounting or omitting the factual results. Parents want the best for their children and all people who want what’s in the best interest of working families should be embracing the data, the change behind late start, and the benefit for working families and not discounting the facts and opposing the change.”   

For Levine traffic will also be a consideration when the late start is implemented.

“It’s lovely,” she said of her early zero period drive to CVHS. “[There is] no traffic, with quiet and cool weather for the field practices.”

Her concern is with zero period being adjusted to a later time there would be much more traffic.

“I really feel for the parents who will have trouble getting their kids to school and then getting to their jobs on time,” she added.

This is the first legislation of its kind passed anywhere in the U.S.

  Julie BUTCHER