Public Middle, High, and Charter Schools - Start Time for Instruction

SB 468 requires all public middle schools in Maryland to begin instruction no earlier than 8:00 AM and public high schools no earlier than 8:30 AM starting with the 2027-2028 school year. The bill directly affects every public middle and high school, as well as charter schools, by establishing these minimum start times unless the State Board of Education grants a waiver for compelling reasons. It also mandates that county boards and charter schools implement public awareness campaigns about sleep deprivation and the benefits of later start times. The bill amends Maryland’s education code to enforce these requirements while allowing limited waivers for specific circumstances like natural or civil disasters.