The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Board changes starting times

Board+changes+starting+times

By Bill Cooney
[email protected]

Students in the Iowa City School District will see a shakeup in school starting times in the next academic year.

The Iowa City School Board voted unanimously to make classes begin at 7:55 a.m. for elementary-school students and 8:50 a.m. for secondary students.

The vote will reverse a School Board decision from last year that had high-school students starting at an earlier time than elementary students, board member LaTasha DeLoach said.

“One of the main reasons is busing,” DeLoach said. “[The School Board] is going to save a significant amount of money on busing, around $100,000, by switching the start times and changing the bus schedules with it.”

Board member Tom Yates said switching the start times just made sense.

“We heard from various parents the different starting time was much more inconvenient for them,” Yates said. “Along with how expensive it actually was for the district, it made sense to change the times back.”

Research suggests both high-school and elementary students could benefit from the different starting times, DeLoach said.

“We heard from various physicians and teachers when considering this, and we decided this would be the best action to take,” she said.

School Board President Chris Lynch agreed with DeLoach and said research was critical to the process.

“The community came to us and requested we take a look at the starting times,” Lynch said. “I thought we reached a good compromise on the school starting times and busing; I’m happy with what the board was able to accomplish.”

The changes come after the previous School Board reworked the school starting times after officials determined the district had some of the longest school days in the state, Yates said.

“They had to cut down on the time students spent in school,” Yates said. “That’s when they set the starting times.”

Yates said the change in starting times would benefit students.

“We really think, based on what we heard, this will benefit both the elementary kids and the high-school kids,” he said. “Not to mention convenience for the parents.”

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