SR0752 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0752 LRB104 21697 RMO 37288 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Decades of peer-reviewed research in sleep and circadian biology led by Dr. Mary Carskadon, PhD, of Brown University and the National Institutes of Health has demonstrated that the biological sleep-wake rhythms of adolescents naturally shift later beginning at puberty, making early-morning school schedules incompatible with healthy sleep; and

WHEREAS, This biological shift is not a matter of preference, motivation, or discipline but reflects changes in melatonin release and circadian timing that make it physiologically difficult for adolescents to fall asleep early enough to obtain adequate rest when schools begin early in the morning; and

WHEREAS, The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health all recognize insufficient sleep in adolescents as a significant public health issue linked to increased risk of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, substance use, obesity, sports injuries, and motor vehicle crashes; and

WHEREAS, The American Academy of Pediatrics has formally recommended that middle and high schools begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m. in order to align school schedules with adolescent biology; and

WHEREAS, Longitudinal research led by Dr. Kyla Wahlstrom, PhD, at the University of Minnesota has followed more than 9,000 students across multiple states and has found that later school start times are associated with increased sleep duration, improved attendance, higher academic performance, reduced depression symptoms, lower rates of substance use, and significant reductions in teen car crashes; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Wahlstrom's research further shows that while 8:30 a.m. is a meaningful improvement, start times closer to 9:00 a.m. produce the greatest benefits for adolescent health, learning, and safety; and

WHEREAS, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified later school start times as one of the most effective population-level strategies for improving adolescent mental health and reducing injury and mortality; and

WHEREAS, Data from the Illinois Youth Survey and related state public health sources consistently show high rates of sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, substance use, and risk-taking behaviors among Illinois middle and high school students; and

WHEREAS, Improving adolescent sleep is a prevention strategy that supports academic success, mental health, substance use prevention, and school safety simultaneously; and

WHEREAS, School districts across Illinois face wide variation in transportation systems, geography, staffing, and community needs, making flexible, locally driven implementation essential; and

WHEREAS, Transportation contracts and school schedules are regularly re-examined by districts, creating natural opportunities to realign start times in ways that better support student health without increasing long-term costs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we strongly encourage all public school districts serving grades 6 through 12, in consultation with local stakeholders and with consideration of community-specific factors, to assess relevant logistical, transportation, staffing, and community considerations and to develop a plan as practicable to adopt school start times that reflect the biological sleep needs of adolescents by beginning middle schools (grades 6-8) no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and high schools (grades 9-12) no earlier than 8:30 a.m., with recognition that start times of 9:00 a.m. or later are even more strongly aligned with adolescent circadian health and research-based best practices; and be it further

RESOLVED, That school districts are encouraged to prioritize the adoption of later start times during periods when transportation contracts, bus routes, or bell schedules are being reviewed or renegotiated, in order to implement these changes in a fiscally responsible and operationally feasible manner; and be it further

RESOLVED, That districts are encouraged to consider later start times as part of comprehensive strategies to improve student mental health, reduce substance use, enhance academic engagement, and promote youth safety; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education for distribution to the school districts.