Action Research Project Title: School start times vs. student success

Blog URL: http://nkk1.blogspot.com/

Number of AR Project Documented Hours: 15

AR Project Summary (at least 250 words):

So far I have met with my campus supervisor about my action research project, we have put our heads together and brain stormed a few ways in which I can pull data and use it to prove that a later school start time would not be better for students, but it would also be equally as financially efficient. I’ve researched a few studies online about the sleeping habits of adolecents and what it takes for them to function sufficiently in a learning environment. I’ve talked to a few students about their study habits and how getting out of school at 4:15 effects their learning. The main group of students that have the biggest issue with it are students who are in extra curricular activities after school, they say that they have very little time between when they get home and when they have to go to bed. Football players leave practice at 7pm most days and after eating, showering, and resting from practice its already almost 9pm which is nearly bed time if they want to get a good nights sleep. I still need to collect more data from the school and see how often students are pulled out of their last period class for road athletic events. I know there was an issue in the past in which freshman B team students had to leave class early for a home contest. This happened on several occasions last school year. I also still need to research other school districts which have changed to an earlier or later start time and see why they made those decisions and what have been the positive and negative effects.