Some high school students are going to be able to hit the snooze button on school days.
Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law that will allow five school districts to experiment with a later start time. Under the new four-year pilot program, high schools can’t begin until 8:30 a.m. or later.
The school districts to be selected to participate is yet to be determined, but there must be at least one urban, one suburban and one rural high school.
About 85% of New Jersey’s middle and high schools start before 8:30 a.m., according to Centers for Disease Control.
A later start time for school is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which found sleep deprivation is a critical problem for teens.