School start times changing

Some North Charleston elementary school students will be going to school in the dark while high school students sleep in an extra hour.

Charleston County schools Superintendent Nancy McGinley has given the OK to a plan that allows Stall and North Charleston high school students to start school more than an hour later this fall while North Charleston elementary school students will start school at least 20 minutes earlier.

The changes are designed to benefit high school students. Research shows that adolescents have later sleeping and waking patterns than younger students, and benefits to later start times can improve their attendance, academic performance and grades.

But some parents and principals are concerned that the changes will hurt elementary school students and their families by forcing children to walk to school in the dark, result in more late arriving students, and create child care problems because older siblings won't be home when younger ones leave school.

"For those who can make the transition, they will," said Laurence Martin, a parent and PTA president at Goodwin Elementary. "But for those who are struggling, this may make things more difficult."

Read more in Sunday's Post and Courier.