ELEMENTARY FEEDBACK ON CHANGED START TIMES

Abstract

With the 1997-98 school year, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) changed the starting time for 85 of the 88 schools in the district. The seven comprehensive high schools changed from a 7:15 AM to an 8:40 AM start; the seven middle schools moved from 7:40 to a 9:40 start; and the starting times for 71 elementary schools were spread among 7:40, 8:40, or 9:40. This report, as part of the complete report for all grade levels, reveals findings from focus groups with teachers and administrative/support staff conducted at fourteen elementary schools. The focus groups provided a forum for participants to reflect on the impact of the start time change and to identify areas of greatest concern and importance relative to the change. While not specifically controlled for in this study, informal attempts were made to generate a diverse group of participants in terms of gender, ethnicity, and diversity of opinion concerning the start time.