Florence-Penrose School District Considers Later Start Times for High Schoolers

Community forum to discuss potential schedule changes to improve student sleep and well-being

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Florence-Penrose School District in Colorado is considering adjusting the start and end times for its junior and senior high school students. Currently, the high school starts at 7:15 a.m. and ends at 3:25 p.m., which is among the earliest in the state. The district is hosting a community forum to gather feedback from parents and students on potentially shifting to a later 8:30 a.m. start time, in line with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to better align with teenage sleep patterns.

Why it matters

Shifting to later high school start times has been shown to improve student grades, attendance, and reduce teen car crashes by allowing students to get more sleep. However, changing schedules would also impact bus routes and extracurricular activities, so the district wants to carefully consider community feedback before making any decisions.

The details

The Florence-Penrose School District is hosting a community forum on Thursday, March 11th at 6 p.m. to discuss the possibility of adjusting the start and end times for its junior and senior high school students. Currently, the high school operates on a 7:15 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. schedule, which is among the earliest in Colorado. The district is exploring a potential shift to an 8:30 a.m. start time, in accordance with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics to better match teenage sleep patterns. However, such a change would also require the school day to end later, around 4:45 p.m., which would impact bus routes and extracurricular activities.

  • The community forum is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, 2026 at 6 p.m.
  • The Florence Junior/Senior High School currently operates on a 7:15 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. schedule.

The players

Bill Wilson

Superintendent of the Florence-Penrose School District.

Florence Junior/Senior High School

The high school in the Florence-Penrose School District that is considering changing its start and end times.

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What they’re saying

“The question keeps arising, if the data says that junior/senior highs should start later, then why are we starting earlier?”

— Bill Wilson, Superintendent (Canon City Daily Record)

“We want to be very purposeful in our conversations. It's something that we feel like is our responsibility to at least inquire about...If there's support for it and our people think it's a good idea, then we have a responsibility there, as well.”

— Bill Wilson, Superintendent (Canon City Daily Record)

What’s next

Depending on the feedback received at the community forum, the district may hold additional discussions with parents and families regarding potential changes to the high school start and end times.

The takeaway

This initiative by the Florence-Penrose School District highlights the growing recognition of the importance of student sleep and well-being, and the potential benefits of aligning school schedules with teenage biological rhythms. The community forum will be an important opportunity for parents and students to provide input on this impactful decision.