为什么推迟开学时间是个好主意

为什么推迟开学时间是个好主意

California has become the first state in the nation to push back school start times.

加州成为美国第一个推迟开学时间的州。

Chronic sleep deprivation in teens has been linked to lower test scores. (Photo: michaeljung/Shutterstock)

It will affect most public middle and high schools, which have three years to institute the changes, according to the L.A. Times.

据《洛杉矶时报》报道，这将影响到大多数公立初中和高中，它们有三年的时间来实施这些改变。

It's a question that has lingered for years, pitting the research of what teenage bodies need vs. the reality of modern school schedules.

这个问题已经存在了多年，它将青少年身体需要什么与现代学校课程表的现实相比较。

California's law will set middle school start times at no earlier than 8 a.m. and high school start times at no later than 8:30 a.m.

加州法律规定，中学上课时间不得早于上午8点，高中上课时间不得晚于上午8点30分。

The domino effect

多米诺效应

Many school districts have carefully organized bus schedules to get kids of all ages to their elementary, middle and high schools on time. (Photo: Stuart Monk/Shutterstock)

Despite the health benefits associated with more sleep for teens, changing school schedules comes at a cost that some school administrators find too steep to accommodate.

尽管多睡觉对青少年的健康有益，但改变学校的课程表却要付出代价，一些学校的管理者觉得这代价太大了，难以承受。

One additional hour of sleep is, on average, estimated to increase the probability of high school graduation by 13.3 percent and college attendance rate by 9.6 percent, says RAND. This impacts their ability to get a job, to get a higher paying job, and to contribute to the economy down the line.

兰德说，平均而言，每多睡一个小时，高中毕业的可能性就会增加13.3%，大学入学率就会增加9.6%。这影响了他们找到工作的能力，找到高薪工作的能力，以及对经济的贡献。

A few hurdles remain

仍然存在一些障碍

Keep the trickle-down effect in mind. If schools start later, after-school activities like sports will start later, and your evening family schedule may change, too. (Photo: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock)

One solution that has worked in some districts is to keep bus schedules the same but swap the start times for elementary and high schools. An earlier start time might work better for younger students who are more likely to hit the hay earlier and wake up earlier each day. But this might also mean that little kids — who need at least 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night — may need to go to bed just after dinner. Logistically, it's never easy to alter the family schedule.

在一些地区行之有效的一个解决方案是保持公交时刻表不变，但将起始时间改为小学和高中。更早的上课时间可能对更年轻的学生更有效，因为他们更有可能早睡早起。但这也可能意味着，每天至少需要10到11个小时睡眠的小孩子可能需要在晚饭后上床睡觉。从逻辑上讲，改变家庭时间表从来都不是一件容易的事情。

Another big issue affecting the decision to change school start times is sports. If schools start later, they'll presumably end later, too, giving students less time for after-school activities, including clubs, jobs and those all-important sports. Many student athletes already miss some school time to attend away games and practices. Moving the school day back means teens will miss even more school or face having to decide between sports and their studies.

另一个影响改变上课时间决定的大问题是体育。如果学校上课较晚，那么放学时间也会较晚，这样一来，学生参加课外活动的时间就会减少，这些活动包括俱乐部、工作和那些最重要的体育活动。许多学生运动员已经错过了一些学校时间去参加客场比赛和训练。把上学时间往后挪意味着青少年将会错过更多的学校时间，或者不得不在运动和学业之间做出选择。

Benefits all around

相关的好处

Well-rested teens take fewer sick days and are less susceptible to sports injuries. (Photo: PAKULA PIOTR/Shutterstock)

Some of the major advantages of the allowing students to get the amount of sleep they need each night is that well-rested teens take fewer sick days and are less susceptible to sports injuries. For school districts where federal funding is based on student attendance, fewer absentees could equate to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in additional funds.

允许学生获得他们每晚所需的睡眠量的一些主要好处是，休息良好的青少年很少生病，更不容易受到运动伤害。对于联邦资金以学生出勤率为基础的学区，缺勤人数的减少可能意味着数十万甚至数百万美元的额外资金。

So while students may have less time in the evenings for after-school activities, they may be able to make more out of the time they do have if they get a better night's sleep.

因此，虽然学生们晚上参加课外活动的时间可能会减少，但如果他们晚上睡得好，他们就能充分利用这些时间。

The financial and logistical hindrances to altering school start times are daunting, but considering the health benefits that could be gained, it seems California has the right idea.

改变上学时间的财政和后勤障碍令人生畏，但考虑到可以获得的健康益处，加州似乎有了正确的想法。