PRINTER'S NO. 2694
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1912
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY CHARLTON, SCHLOSSBERG, STEPHENS, RABB, WARREN,
DAVIS, WATSON, BRADFORD, M. QUINN, FREEMAN AND WHEELAND,
NOVEMBER 13, 2017
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, NOVEMBER 13, 2017
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in preliminary provisions, providing
for study of secondary school start times.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 113.1. Study of Secondary School Start Times.--(a)
The Department of Education shall conduct a study of issues,
benefits and options related to instituting a later start time
to the school day in secondary schools. The study shall:
(1) consider the recent recommendations of the American
Academy of Pediatrics on the establishment of later school start
times;
(2) include an assessment of the health, academic and safety
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benefits associated with establishing later start times for
secondary schools;
(3) include an assessment of the effects of blue light from
electronics on sleep and how later school start times for
secondary schools may impact those effects;
(4) evaluate any potential negative impacts on school
districts and families that may be associated with a later
school start time and consider strategies for addressing
potential problems;
(5) review all available literature and data on the
experiences of school districts in other states that have
instituted later school start times; and
(6) include a recommendation relating to the advisability of
establishing a pilot program to test later school start times in
select secondary schools in this Commonwealth that are
interested in participating in the program.
(b) The Department of Education shall prepare a report that
includes its findings and recommendations from the study and
shall provide the report to the chairman and minority chairman
of the Education Committee of the Senate and the chairman and
minority chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
Representatives no later than six months after the effective
date of this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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