Study Reveals US Schools Can Shift Start Times Without Added Costs

A recent study indicates that high schools across the United States can adopt later start times without incurring additional costs. Published in the journal Management Science on December 17, 2025, the research provides evidence that healthier school schedules can not only align better with adolescent biology but also enhance district operations and reduce transportation expenses.

The study involved collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), where researchers, including Arthur Delarue from the University of Virginia, Zhen Lian from Yale University, and Sebastien Martin from Northwestern University, developed an interactive optimization system. This innovative approach enabled the district to successfully shift the start times for all 133 schools, resulting in annual savings of over $5 million in transportation costs.

“Too many high schools still start before teens’ brains are ready to learn, and the barriers to change are often political, not technical,” stated Delarue. The study highlights that major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, recommend that high schools should not begin classes earlier than 8:30 a.m.. Early start times are associated with inadequate sleep, declining academic performance, and negative impacts on teenagers’ mental and physical health.

Despite the medical consensus, many school districts have hesitated to implement later start times due to logistical challenges, such as limited bus capacities, staffing issues, and conflicting family schedules. The interactive model developed in this study reframed these challenges, allowing district leaders to explore multiple near-optimal scheduling options while considering various trade-offs and real-world constraints.

Instead of presenting a single “optimal” schedule, the system provided decision-makers with the tools to visualize how different choices would impact transportation costs, community preferences, and the existing routines of families. “Instead of telling the district what the ‘optimal’ schedule was, we gave them the tools to explore what was possible,” Lian explained.

The new schedule received widespread community support. While it is acknowledged that not every family could secure their preferred start time, a survey conducted among nearly 28,000 elementary school families and staff revealed a majority approval for the changes. The shift not only simplified bus operations but also enhanced alignment among school schedules, allowing staff to coordinate more effectively across multiple sites.

The researchers believe that this framework can be beneficial for districts of any size, whether public or private. By involving administrators, transportation planners, teachers, and families early in the scheduling process, schools can create environments that prioritize student well-being while simultaneously improving operational performance.

For more details, refer to the complete study by Delarue et al in Management Science.