HB1015 would require later start times for Maryland public middle and high schools beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Middle schools would have to begin instruction no earlier than 8:00 a.m., and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m., unless the State Board of Education grants a waiver for a compelling reason. The bill also directs each county board of education and each public charter school to run a public information campaign during the 2026-2027 school year to explain the health, safety, and academic effects of sleep deprivation and the benefits of later start times.
The bill amends Education Article § 7-103 to add the new start-time requirements and waiver process. It also clarifies that lack of funding is not, by itself, a compelling reason for a waiver. In addition, the bill preserves existing authority for county boards to set school-year dates and keeps current school-day, holiday, and emergency provisions largely intact.
Impact
HB1015 would change state education law by establishing a statewide minimum start time for instruction in middle and high schools and by creating a limited waiver mechanism administered by the State Board of Education. Public school systems and charter schools would need to adjust transportation, staffing, athletics, and scheduling practices to comply, unless they obtain a waiver. The bill also imposes a new outreach obligation on county boards and charter schools, with optional assistance from the State Department of Education, to educate communities about sleep deprivation and implementation strategies.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a student-health and academic-wellbeing initiative rather than a partisan or highly contested proposal. The inclusion of a waiver process suggests an effort to balance statewide standards with local flexibility. Overall, the bill’s structure indicates support for later school start times while acknowledging that some districts may need exceptions.
Contention
The main likely point of contention is implementation: school systems may face logistical challenges in changing bus routes, extracurricular schedules, staffing, and family routines to meet the new start times. The bill anticipates this concern by allowing waivers for a compelling reason, but it expressly states that insufficient funding alone is not enough to justify a waiver. Another possible area of debate is local control versus statewide mandate, since the bill sets a uniform start-time floor while still leaving counties some discretion through the waiver process and school-year scheduling authority.