The Montgomery County Board of Education will host two public hearings next week on options for adjusting school starting and ending times—also known as bell times. The hearings will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2015, in the auditorium of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville.
The hearings will run from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Those wishing to provide testimony at the hearings should call 301-279-3617 during business hours to reserve a slot. All speakers will be given 3 minutes. Feedback can also be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Please submit written comments by February 2, 2015.
The Board is considering several options for changing bell times so that high school students could begin classes later in the day. The options fall into five general categories:
- Shift all start times 20 or 35 minutes later;
- Start elementary school first;
- Modify a previously considered proposal from October 2013;
- Split the high school day; and
- Make no changes to bell times and explore other options to provide flexibility for high school students.
The Board heard a presentation on these options at its January 13, 2015 meeting and approved an additional option that modifies the proposal to shift all start times 20 or 35 minutes later. The Board’s option would shift start times for middle and high school students 20 or 35 minutes later and start times for elementary school students 10 or 25 minutes later.