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Connections

Should New York State delay school start times?

Dr. Heidi Connolly and Brennan Carney on "Connections"
Megan Mack
/
WXXI News
Dr. Heidi Connolly and Brennan Carney appear on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Friday, July 29, 2022.

Middle and high school students in California are starting their school days a little later this year. Beginning July 1, middle school classes began no earlier than 8 a.m. and high school classes started no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The changes were put into an effect by a state law passed in 2019, making California the first state in the nation to have legislation delaying school start times.

A proposed bill in the New York State Legislature would study the feasibility of delaying school start times in this state, if passed. This hour, we discuss the issue and the impact later school start times could have. Our guests:

  • Brennan Carney, rising 7th grader at Gates Chili Middle School
  • Heidi Connolly, M.D., professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the Sleep & Wellness Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center
  • Lisa L. Lewis, journalist and author of “The Sleep-Deprived Teen"
  • Molly Maloy, rising 7th grader at School of the Arts
  • Ella Maloy, rising 9th grader at East High School
  • Devlin Rosen-Carole, rising 8th grader at the Harley School
  • M.G. Perez, education reporter for KPBS San Diego
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Emmarae Stein is the production assistant for "Connections with Evan Dawson."