Downingtown Area School District has decided to move the start time for its secondary schools by 20 minutes beginning in the 2024-25 school year, according to a staff report from The Daily Local News.

At this time, all seventh- through twelfth-grade schools at DASD start at 7:40 AM and end at 2:40 PM. The next school year, secondary school will start at 8 AM and end at 2:45 PM. Owen J. Roberts is also among county school districts starting later.

This change puts the priority on student sleep without disrupting elementary schedules or afterschool activities in a significant way.

“The well-being of our students is at the heart of every decision we make at DASD,” said Dr. Robert O’Donnell, Superintendent of Schools. “Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that teenagers benefit significantly from later start times, experiencing improved sleep patterns, enhanced focus in the classroom, and overall stronger academic performance.”

To tackle the issue of a shorter instructional day, DASD has optimized learning hours by combining professional development days and expanding the STEM “lunch-and-learn” program to encompass the entire high school level.

Read more about the later school start times in Chester County in The Daily Local News.

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