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District Seeking Feedback on Implementation of New State Law Requiring New School Start Times
Please click to take survey
Citrus County, FL – Citrus County Public Schools has opened a survey inviting stakeholders to share feedback on new start times for district schools. The survey is part of an overall strategy to align with Florida House Bill 733, which will require the instructional day to start no earlier than 8:00 a.m. for middle school students and no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for high school students by the start of the 2026-27 school year. The survey has been emailed to district families through our callout system.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Hebert talked about these new start times within a recent Letter to the Editor outlining his and the School Boards legislative priorities, which you can read here: Message from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Scott Hebert - Citrus County School District As Superintendent, he is most concerned with the mandatory school start times.
Under the district’s current schedule, our high schools and middle schools begin at 7:50 a.m. and elementary schools at 9:20 a.m.
The premise behind HB 733 is to increase the amount of sleep for middle and high school students and to lessen the impacts of sleep deprivation. Experts say this includes lower academic performance, car accidents, mood disorders, and tendencies toward high-risk behaviors.
In preparation for the change in the law, the Citrus County School District is working to develop a comprehensive plan to address transportation, cafeteria services, student and faculty schedules, and athletics. District team leaders are looking at ways to ease this transition.
Dr. Hebert wants to make sure the school community has all the information about this new law because of its potential effect on families.
“We are committed to thoroughly examining all possibilities,” said Dr. Scott Hebert, superintendent of schools. “We recognize that many families are accustomed to our current start times and bus schedules, which is why we will actively involve the community in this discussion.”
You can give us your feedback and take our anonymous survey by clicking the link above.
The district expects to spend the next few months gathering feedback from stakeholders and the community. As the district continues its work to implement HB 733, leaders will release additional updates as they become available.