“Erratic, irregular sleep patterns and insufficient or inadequate amounts of sleep for anyone, but especially adolescents, is damaging,” says Amy Woodson, a researcher of Loyola University. Starting this petition, students of the Washoe County School District hope to make a change for the betterment of the everyone regarding health. We believe that in changing the start times to 8:00 - 8:15 AM, we can improve student mental health and academic success with a new schedule. 

With the changing of school start times the students mental and physical health would drastically increase. In the research of Alex putterman she writes that with later start times students are less prone to depression and stress, and will be getting the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep. Another article states that students are more likely to participate and be more prepared to learn if school started later. Their physical health would be affected as well, for they will be more careful when drive to and from school, as well as being more likely to wear a seat belt.

Changing Washoe County School District start times, for high school students, to a later time will dramatically help with chronic tardiness. Data collected by a Washoe county school district school, Reed High School, the data clearly shows that the most tardiness lie during first period. In February of 2020 around 3238 students were tardy for just first period. Which is heavily more than data collected for other class periods at Reed High School during this month.