On Tuesday, May 7, the JCPS Board of Education voted to change start times next school year for 40 schools. As a result, all schools will be moved to start times of either 7:30 a.m., 8:40 a.m. or 9:40 a.m. next year.
JCPS is currently functioning with eight start times, ranging from 7:40 a.m. to 9:40 a.m., with early childhood starting at 10:40 a.m. The board was considering two different scenarios, voting for the first scenario which switches start times for less schools than scenario two.
Manual currently starts at 7:40 a.m., but with the new plan for the upcoming 2024-25 school year, Manual will start at 7:30 a.m.
“I know tonight’s decision is not ideal for many; however, it is an incremental step towards getting things right moving forward,” Principal Dr. Michael Newman said in an email to Manual staff immediately following the board’s vote.
Collectively, the district’s two proposals for new start times put about a fourth of all elementary schools starting at 7:30 a.m. As for 8:40 a.m. start time, half of middle and high schools and a fourth of elementary schools would start at that time. The remaining schools, with the majority being elementary, would start at 9:40 a.m.
While the board’s start time decision did not stray from previously mentioned scenarios, middle and high school principals throughout the district met with district leadership via Zoom on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of a third scenario. During Tuesday’s meeting, a motion to pass scenario one failed, but was later reintroduced and passed.
“Younger kids are ready for school earlier, older kids are not ready for school until later,” Chris Kolb, board member for District 2 said during the Tuesday, May 7 board meeting. “That’s where I am, so I can’t support either of these scenarios.”
This scenario, which was never introduced by the board, is said to have planned on moving all middle and high schools to the later two start times, 8:40 a.m. and 9:40 a.m.
“After attending the board meeting it became clear that there was not a ‘new proposal’ being added tonight. However, it became evident that moving middle and high schools to later start times was a question that multiple board members had,” Newman said to RedEye following the board’s vote.
The board’s vote passed on the condition that the board will review start times on Dec. 1, ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
Tuesday’s vote comes in the wake of the board’s April decision to end busing to most magnet and tradition schools. For Manual students facing start time changes as well as no busing, transportation conditions next year are still uncertain.
“Due to the anticipated traffic from car riders, we will have to repurpose our property to ensure we maximize the flow of traffic,” Newman said.
Though Manual’s start time is not changing drastically, the impact of the board’s recent decisions are already being felt by those not receiving transportation next year due to enrollment in magnet and traditional schools.
