State Start School Later Leaders Testify at the TX Capitol

The chapter leader of Start School Later Houston Area, two Pasadena high school students and the SSL Texas chapter leader, testified last week at the state capitol. The Select Senate Committee is exploring strategies to promote a healthy school culture. We know that school start time is the crucial factor determining the amount of sleep a teen receives. And there are several studies indicating poor sleep is a causal factor in aggression and violence. SSL is thrilled that previous interaction with the chair’s policy director resulted in Senator Taylor, chair of the committee, asking a question of the first invited panel. Dr. Jeff Temple’s, director of behavioral health and research, from the University of Texas Medical Branch, responded that sleep deprivation affects every measure to improve student health and well-being. Start School Later Texas and its local chapters will continue to push for state parameters for healthy school hours leading up to the next legislative session in January 2019.