At Lindbergh High School in Renton, Washington, the sound of the first bell rings at 7:15 a.m., signaling to tired students to rush to class. It’s December, still dark outside, and while the clock ticks closer to the school day’s start, students, many barely awake, scramble to get to class on time. For many, an early morning arrival has become a daily struggle, yet the Renton School District has yet to change its early start times despite mounting concerns.
While nearby districts like Seattle and Tacoma have made efforts in recent years to delay middle and high school start times, Renton’s school schedule remains unchanged. Teachers, like Alyssa Shewey at Lindbergh, argue that the early start time is “inhumane” for students, whose circadian rhythms naturally shift to later times during adolescence. As a result, teens find themselves awake late into the night, struggling to get up for the 7:15 a.m. bell, which is biologically equivalent to 5:15 a.m. for adults.
Teens need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, but studies show that most U.S. high school students sleep significantly less. The Nationwide Children’s Hospital reports that the average high schooler sleeps only around 7 hours per night, while Lindbergh students average even less—around 5 to 6 hours on school nights. The result? Yawns, glazed eyes, and students struggling to stay awake in class. Shewey, who teaches AP Psychology, acknowledges the issue but says, “If you need to sleep, you need to sleep.”
Studies have linked insufficient sleep in teens to a range of negative outcomes, including poor academic performance, increased risk of accidents, and mental health struggles. Research suggests that delaying school start times can help combat sleep deprivation, leading to better academic performance, improved attendance, and increased graduation rates. In Wake County, North Carolina, for example, a one-hour delay in school start times led to improved test scores in reading and math.
While many students argue for a later start, some still prefer early morning classes due to family responsibilities or being naturally early risers. However, experts and organizations such as the American Medical Association continue to advocate for later start times to improve teens’ health and learning. California took action in 2022, becoming the first state to mandate later start times for public high schools, and Florida is set to follow in 2026.
Despite mounting evidence, Renton has yet to adopt such changes, raising the question many students, like Lindbergh’s Anthony Kim, are asking: “If everyone is complaining about waking up early, then why do we keep doing it?” As the debate over start times continues, the need for reform grows more urgent, not just for students, but for teachers and families as well.
