Ridgewood Schools K12 Insight Alternative Schedule or Late Start Initiative Survey Results

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Lauren Gonzalez, K12 Insight Research Director presented the K12 Insight Alternative Schedule Survey Results. The Ridgewood blog has reproduced the “executive summary” and included links to the full presentation.

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According to the survey, a strong majority (88% and higher) of participating parents/guardians and secondary students said their child/they have an alternate means
of transportation to school.

• A perception gap exists between participating parents/guardians and secondary students on items related the current schedule and their
time to complete work. For example, 87% of parents/guardians said their student(s) has/have enough time to complete their schoolwork
compared to 67% of students. 76% of parents/guardians said their family has enough free time to spend with their student(s) compared to
50% of students.
• A strong majority of high school parents/guardians (87%), staff (86%), and students (84%) said students benefit from period 9.
• When providing feedback on the current start times, participating students showed the most favor in having a later start time. However, a
majority (79% to 90%) of participants said the current end time of school is ideal or works well.
• 60% of students said their school start time is too early and 79% said the end time is ideal or works well.
• 86% of parents/guardians said the current elementary school start time is ideal or works well for their family. 90% said the same
about the current end time of elementary schools.
• 65% of parents/guardians said the current middle school start time is ideal or works well for their family; 34% said it’s too early and
would prefer a later start time. 89% said the current end time of middle schools are ideal or work well.
• High school parents/guardians were split with 50% saying the current high school start time is ideal or works well for their family and
50% saying it’s too early and would prefer a later start time. 88% said the current end time of the high school is ideal or works well.
• 86% of participating staff said their school start time is ideal or works well and 83% said the end time is ideal or works well.
• Half of the participating parents/guardians (50%) said they were uncomfortable or very uncomfortable with a reduction in instructional
minutes to accommodate a later start time for secondary students; 23% of staff said the same.

Participating staff members expressed more concern (Concerning or Very Concerning) on items related to modifying start times than
parents/guardians and students.

• 67% of staff said they were concerned with the timing of school athletics or after-school/co-curricular activities; 44% of
parents/guardians and 39% of students said the same.
• 60% of staff said they were concerned with students’ ability to take advantage of extra help from teachers compared to 39% of
parents/guardians and 19% of students.
• 73% of participating community members and business owners expressed concern with the mental health and well-being of Ridgewood’s
youth if start times are modified.
• Participating students responded more favorably (Strongly Agree or Agree) than parents/guardians and staff members on items related to a
later start time impacting their focus, attention, motivation, energy levels, and absences/tardiness to school. They also responded more
favorably (Very Positive Impact or Positive Impact) about the impact of a later start/end time on their personal life.
• 81% of students said they believed a later start time would positively impact their motivation and creativity compared to 42% of
staff and 66% of parents.
• 91% of students said they believed a later start time would positively impact their energy level compared with 55% of staff and 70%
of parents/guardians.
• 81% of students said a later start time would positively impact their general health and well-being compared with 29% of staff and
56% of parent/guardians.
• 69% of students said a later start time would positively impact them getting to school on time compared with 18% of staff and 9%
of parents/guardians.

Click here to view this portion of the webcast and scroll to 44:00. 
Click here to view the PDF of the presentation.