Writing Standards: Clear and Coherent Writing (CCSS.W.8.4) Practice Test

Ask any middle schooler about first period, and you will hear the same story: yawns, headaches, and foggy thinking. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because teens' sleep cycles shift later during adolescence. In our district, the bell rings at 7:35, and the results show up in tardies, dozing students, and rushed breakfasts. Teachers also report more behavior problems during early classes. When students sleep longer, attendance improves and grades rise in districts that moved their start time. Bus routes and sports schedules can be adjusted with careful planning; several nearby schools already made the change. Parents who start work early can use before-school programs, and coaches can shift practice slightly later without losing daylight in fall. Rather than clinging to habit, we should make decisions that reflect health research and real student needs. This issue matters to everyone.

Ask any middle schooler about first period, and you will hear the same story: yawns, headaches, and foggy thinking. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because teens' sleep cycles shift later during adolescence. In our district, the bell rings at 7:35, and the results show up in tardies, dozing students, and rushed breakfasts. Teachers also report more behavior problems during early classes. When students sleep longer, attendance improves and grades rise in districts that moved their start time. Bus routes and sports schedules can be adjusted with careful planning; several nearby schools already made the change. Parents who start work early can use before-school programs, and coaches can shift practice slightly later without losing daylight in fall. Rather than clinging to habit, we should make decisions that reflect health research and real student needs. This issue matters to everyone.