Eanes ISD has decided to shift Forest Trail Elementary’s start time from 8:20 a.m. to 7:40 a.m. to match other elementary schools in the district beginning this Fall. New dismissal times will move from 3:30 to 2:50 pm.

Signing is simple and can remain anonymous.

The decision was made, we are told, for potential bus efficiency. A flimsy possible benefit for the mighty cost. Research is clear that earlier school start times can harm children’s sleep, learning, and emotional well-being—especially in elementary-aged students. It also increases family stress, creates childcare gaps, adds financial strain on families for aftercare, and disrupts work schedules for all parents, particularly parents working outside the home.

Forest Trail is currently the top-performing school in the district on STAAR metrics. Changing what’s working comes with real risks.

There is no proven benefit to justify the risk!

Sleep Loss and Health Consequences Elementary students who start school before 8:00 a.m. lose approximately 40 minutes of sleep per night, according to a 2021 study in Sleep (Owens et al.). A 7:40 a.m. start would require many children to wake around 6:00 a.m., which significantly cuts into the 9–11 hours of sleep recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reduced sleep in children is associated with increased fatigue, poor attention, emotional dysregulation, and even physical health issues.

Academic Decline
Multiple studies show that later start times (after 8:00 a.m.) improve academic outcomes. A 2020 study published in Educational Researcher found that shifting elementary start times from 7:50 to 8:40 improved math scores by 3.8% and reading scores by 2.9%. Another study in the Journal of School Psychology found that students aged 8–10 demonstrated a 10–15% increase in attention and memory when school started at 8:20 instead of 7:40. Forest Trail currently has the highest STAAR mastery rates in the district—there is no reason to jeopardize that success for the sake of convenience.

Increased Family Stress
Earlier start times don’t just affect kids—they place a burden on families. A 2021 Pediatrics study showed that parents of children with pre-8:00 a.m. start times experienced 25% more stress. Earlier mornings make routines harder, reduce time for connection, and increase the need for costly, often unavailable, afterschool care.

Greater Inconvenience for Multi-School Families
Currently, Forest Trail’s 8:20 a.m. start aligns well with middle (8:35 a.m.) and high school (8:40 a.m.) start times. Shifting to 7:40 would create 55–60 minute gaps between drop-offs—creating logistical problems for parents with children in multiple schools.

No Clear Transportation Gain
EISD argues this change will help streamline transportation, but the district’s current tiered structure already functions efficiently. National experts recommend 45–60 minute staggered starts between schools—not a one-size-fits-all time that clogs traffic and leads to idle buses.

Forest Trail is Thriving—Why Mess With Our Success?
Forest Trail ranks #1 in STAAR reading and math mastery across the district and has a highly experienced teaching staff. It already operates on a research-backed schedule. Changing to 7:40 a.m. brings no clear benefit but invites enormous cost.