The Issaquah School District has received numerous requests from parents and community members asking for a later start time for our high school students. In response, the Superintendent directed senior staff to study the issue from an operational and financial standpoint with the following parameters.

• School start and end times for all grade levels must occur between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

• The tiered bus system, which saves hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, must be kept intact.

• The change to the high school start time must be significant.

• The costs associated with changing to later start and end times must be fiscally responsible.

The District plans to make a decision by mid-March. The change is operational in nature, and therefore the decision of the District, rather than the School Board. The District will reach out to families, staff, and community members with an online forum called Thought Exchange in midJanuary to gain feedback on the proposed start and end times. Public meetings will subsequently be held so that the District and the community can dialogue and discuss the pros and cons of changing the bell times.

To read this article in full and/or share your thoughts, visit the ISD website: www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/departments/operations/bell-times-study