Students At A New High School In Denver Get A Later Start Than Others

Denver Public School’s first new high school in 35 years opens Monday. And Northfield High, in northeast Denver, will have a much later start time than most schools:  8:45 a.m.

District leaders decided the later start time would be good for students, both health-wise and academically. 

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds Colorado ranked in the top 15 states for earliest start times, with an average start of 7:54 a.m; CDC research shows less than a third of U.S. high school students sleep at least 8 hours on school nights.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed later start times, but many districts struggle to adjust bus schedules to accommodate the change.