At Bonita Vista High (BVH), the 2022-2023 school year marks the beginning of a new bell schedule. This new schedule—based on Senate Bill SB-328 passed by California Governor Gavin Newsom—will make schools in the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.

Senate Bill SB-328 was signed this month with the aim of helping students that suffer from sleep deprivation. In order to reach the bill’s requirements, middle schools must start no later than 8 a.m. and high schools at no later than 8:30 a.m.

The reasoning behind this new law is based on studies showing that later start times increase academic performance, school attendance and has health benefits. In fact, according to the article on Everyday Health, “More Evidence Finds That Delaying School Start Times Improves Students’ Performance, Attendance, and Sleep”, school starting later can increase students’ grades by 4.5 percent. 

“Numerous studies have shown that the addle atlas brain, particularly those of high school students, would benefit greatly from a later start time,” Principal Roman Del Rosario, Ed.D., said. 

This change in schedule causes students to start at a later time; therefore, pushing back the dismissal time. Students with seven periods or extracurriculars will have to stay at school later than 3:25 p.m.

“One of the ways it [the new start time] impacts sports is that practice will have to start later. In some cases during winter sports season, with the sun setting, it will become a challenge [for] everyone [to have] enough time to practice,” Del Rosario said. 

Students may dislike this new schedule and Del Rosario acknowledges the slight difficulties this new schedule presents to students with extracurriculars. However, not much can be done regarding a state bill implementation as it has been mandated by Newsom.

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“It might not be a silver bullet for all students but I think that it is going to have an impact for some,” Del Rosario said. 

The newly implemented changes will end up pushing back students’ after school activities, leaving some with mixed feelings about next year’s schedule.

“I definitely prefer the old schedule than the new one. It gives more freedom to me and  an equal amount of time [to] wake up in the morning [before school] and time in the afternoon [after school],” freshman Daniel Hernandez said.

In contrast to Hernandez, Del Rosario believes the 8:30 a.m. start time might be more effective for students overall. He applies the research of the benefits of a later start time in his opinion on the new schedule.

“I think that having a later schedule helps students stay alert and I think that is a good thing,” Del Rosario said.