Study: Later School Starts Improve Student Grades

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A new study says that high schools switching to later start times have seen an improvement in student grades and overall student health.

The study released Wednesday by the University of Minnesota examined data from more than 9,000 students at eight high schools in Minnesota, Colorado and Wyoming.

It found that later start times boosted attendance, standardized test scores and academic performance in math, English, science and social studies.

It also found that Jackson Hole High School in Wyoming saw a 70 percent drop in the number of car crashes involving teen drivers when it switched to a later start.

Kyla Wahlstrom is director of the university's Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement. She says the later starts mean more students get more sleep - an important health benefit.