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The Pinellas School Board is considering a proposal to dramatically alter school start times for next year.
In its current form, the plan would move high school start times from 7:05 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. or 9:20 a.m. Most elementary schools would start at 7:30 a.m. but about 20 would start at 8:15 a.m. The current start time for most elementaries is 8:40 or 8:50 a.m.
The first bell at most middle schools would be the same time as high schools - a small change from the current middle school start time of 9:45 a.m. A handful of middle schools would start at 7:30 a.m.
Dismissal times would range from about 2 p.m. for elementaries to about 3:45 p.m. for high schools and most middle schools.
Nothing is set in stone. In fact, some School Board members are indicating their support for the proposal may be waning.
The School Board considers the plan in a workshop Tuesday. It's an open meeting, but the public will not be invited to speak. The issue is scheduled to come up during a regular board meeting at 5 p.m. on Dec.13 at district headquarters, 301 Fourth St. SW in Largo. The public can weigh in at that time.
But the issue may not get that far, given new concerns raised by some board members. For now, the landscape is uncertain. The board could approve the proposal, reject it, put it off for another day or alter it in some way.