Marin Co. schools consider later start times

MARIN COUNTY (KTVU) - SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KTVU) - Marin County's two largest school districts are both looking at starting classes later in the morning to help students get more sleep. 

The idea is to get kids some extra rest.

At San Rafael High School some students start as early as 7:05 a.m., although most arrive around 8 a.m.

Now, district administrators are looking at pushing back start the start time by at least a half hour, according to the Marin Independent Journal.

The Novato Unified School District is considering the same thing. Some of their high schoolers start classes as early as 7:15 a.m.

A group of parents, teachers and students have formed a "later start committee" in Novato, to explore various options. 

Medical experts tend to think middle schools and high schools should start at 8:30 a.m. or later because teens who get more sleep usually get better grades. Students and parents seem to be on board with the idea of starting classes later.

But on the flip side, starting later means ending the day later. Some athletic coaches are concerned about how that would impact after-school sports.

As of right now, nothing is set in stone. The two districts are simply exploring the idea of starting classes later, which is something a few other Bay Area districts have also done.