LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert announced that school start times for middle school, high school and elementary school will start later, starting in 2026.
The change would go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year, starting on Monday, Aug. 10.
WATCH| Shellye Leggett talks to local mom about recent CCSD school start time changes
According to Ebert, middle school students will start school beginning at 7:30 a.m., high school students will begin at 8:30 a.m. and elementary students will start at 9:15 a.m.
Not every school will start at the exact same time and there will be variations, according to CCSD.
Officials did not note end times for schools, but in a fact sheet they made available, the length of the student day—which is typically six hours and 11 minutes—will not change.
Watch the full press conference with Superintendent Jhone Ebert here:
“The new school start times better align with the sleep needs of high school students,” said CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert. “Research shows [apa.org] that later start times for high school students lead to more sleep, reduced anxiety, and greater alertness, which in turn improve attendance, standardized test scores, and graduation rates.
More than 48,000 people responded to the survey, including students, staff and community members. The overall consensus favored starting school later for several reasons, including improved mental health and allowing students to get more sleep.
WATCH | Jhovani Carrillo spoke to local families to get their thoughts on school start times and what a change would mean for them.
Later school start times have been a topic of discussion over the past school year. The district launched a survey in September to ask for community feedback, saying they are considering pushing back the start time by 30 minutes for all schools.
Because CCSD operates the nation's largest district-owned school bus fleet, school start times will be staggered.
District officials stated that staggering start times will maximize resources and "ensure that over 120,000 students a day arrive at school safely."
Revised school start times will be posted on ccsd.net and individual school websites starting in April 2026. Eligible bus riders will receive a Parentlink message in July 2026 with steps to access bus routing information.
For frequently asked questions, you can click here.
What are your thoughts on these changes? You can contact Shellye.Leggett@ktnv.com and tell her your thoughts.
