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Snooze or Lose: High School Start Times and Academic Achievement

Author

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  • Groen, Jeffrey A.

    (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

  • Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff

    (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Abstract

Many U.S. high schools start classes before 8:00 A.M., yet research on circadian rhythms suggests that students' biological clocks shift to later in the day as they enter adolescence. Some school districts have moved to later start times for high schools based on the prospect that this would increase students' sleep and academic achievement. This paper examines the effect of high school start times on student learning. We use longitudinal data from the Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID-CDS) to conduct the first study of this relationship using a nationally-representative sample of students. We also use the CDS time diaries to explore the effects of high school start times on students' time allocation. Results indicate that female students who attend schools with later start times get more sleep and score higher on reading tests. Male students do not get more sleep when their schools start later and their test scores do not change.

Suggested Citation

  • Groen, Jeffrey A. & Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff, 2017. "Snooze or Lose: High School Start Times and Academic Achievement," IZA Discussion Papers 11166, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11166
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    Cited by:

    1. Cowan, Benjamin & Jones, Todd R. & Swigert, Jeffrey, 2023. "Parental and Student Time Use around the Academic Year," IZA Discussion Papers 16086, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. BAI Yu & TANAKA Ryuichi, 2024. "A Long-run Consequence of Relaxation-Oriented Education on Labor Market Performance," Discussion papers 24003, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    3. Charlene Marie Kalenkoski & Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia, 2023. "Parental disability and teenagers’ time allocation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1379-1407, December.
    4. Pabilonia, Sabrina Wulff & Vernon, Victoria, 2020. "Telework and Time Use in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 13260, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Anthony LokTing Yim, 2023. "How Early Morning Classes Change Academic Trajectories: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Purdue University Economics Working Papers 1334, Purdue University, Department of Economics.
    6. Lenard, Matthew & Morrill, Melinda Sandler & Westall, John, 2020. "High school start times and student achievement: Looking beyond test scores," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Sabrina Wulff Pabilonia & Victoria Vernon, 2022. "Telework, Wages, and Time Use in the United States," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 687-734, September.
    8. Williams, Kevin M. & Shapiro, Teny Maghakian, 2018. "Academic achievement across the day: Evidence from randomized class schedules," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 158-170.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    time allocation; sleep; school start times; academic achievement;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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