Middle School and High School Start Times

HB 343 would have repealed existing Florida law requiring school districts to adopt policies for middle and high school start times. Specifically, it aimed to remove the requirement that middle schools begin instruction no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m., as well as eliminate the mandate for school boards to inform communities about sleep deprivation impacts and later start time benefits. The bill also deleted a requirement that charter schools comply with these start time rules. However, the bill was filed on February 3, 2025, and withdrawn before introduction, so it never became law. This was a procedural repeal bill that would have affected all Florida public school districts and charter schools.