2016-2017

• Group of parents approaches Fox Chapel Area School District administrators to examine potential adjustments of student start times across the district

August 2017

• Fox Chapel Area School District begins examination of district start times

November 2017

• District site-based meeting held to explore possible school start time changes and discuss site-based survey results

April 2018

• FCASD utilizes Transfinder to complete bell time study
  
  
• District Forum panel discussion

September 2018

• FCASD provides additional information to community and initiates districtwide survey
  
  
• Early findings and other information presented during School Board committee of the whole meeting

February 2019

• School start time site-based team holds first meeting on positive implications and potential challenges of altering school start times

April 2019

• School start time site-based team reconvenes and hears from health officials who support later start times
  
  
• Feedback from committee indicates that participants need more concrete examples of potential modifications for all involved; Transfinder to conduct independent review

August 2019

• Transfinder begins independent review

October 2019

• Independent review from Transfinder expected
  
  
• Third meeting of school start time site-based team planned

January 2020

• School start time site-based team holds third meeting and the topic is positive implications and potential challenges a school start time change would have on transportation

Background Documents

• Busing Analysis
  
  
• Transfinder Bell Study
  
  
• Presentation to Fox Chapel Area School Board (9/10/18)
  
  
• Site-Based Team Meeting Notes (2/6/19) 
  
  
• Site-Based Team Meeting Notes (4/23/19)
  
  
• Site-Based Team Meeting Notes (1/29/20)
  
  
• Presentation to Site-Based Team on Transportation Logistics (1/29/20) 
  
  
• Answers to Site-Based Team Questions (1/29/20)
  
  
• Transfinder Project Summary (2/6/20)
  
  
• Site-Based Team Meeting Notes (2/27/20)
  
  
• Presentation to Site-Based Team on Transportation Costs (2/27/20)
  
  
• Presentation to Site-Based Team on High School Impact (2/27/20)

Links 

• Fox Chapel Area School District State of the Schools, 2017-2018 
  
  
• Joint State Government Commission, "Sleep Deprivation in Adolescents: The Case for Delaying Secondary School Start Times" 
  
  
• National Sleep Foundation
  
  
• "Adolescent Changes in the Homeostatic and Circadian Regulation of Sleep" - National Center for Biotechnology Information
  
  
• "Why Are Teenagers So Sleep-Deprived?" - Child Mind Institute
  
  
• "School Start Time Change: An In-Depth Examination of School Districts in the United States" - Start School Later
  
  
• "Examining the Impact of Later High School Start Times on the Health and Academic Performance of High School Students: A Multi-Site Study" - University of Minnesota
  
  
• "Later School Start Times a Dream for Teens, But a Logistical Nightmare for Districts" - Philly Voice
  
  
• "North Allegheny Won't Change Start Times, Cites Significant Costs" - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  
  
• "California Dreamin': The state becomes the first in the nation to mandate later start times for middle and high schools. Here’s why." - The Washington Post
  
  
• "'Why Are You Doing This to Me?' Outraged Kids Start School Early While Teens Sleep" - The Wall Street Journal