A Start & End Times Task Force spent months reviewing surveys and comments from staff and families, hearing from experts and reviewing reports from district administration. After six months of work, the Task Force recommended planning school times to ensure a later morning start for Eden Prairie High School students. The research indicated that school districts with later high school start times saw reduced tardiness, reduced absenteeism, improved grades and graduation rates.
Following the task force’s recommendation, Eden Prairie Schools administration developed bell times for the 2021-22 school year. In order to start high school later, and fulfill promises from the 2019 referendum for neighborhood preschool and a grade 6-8 middle school, each school’s bell time is adjusted. The proposed times were designed in alignment with research, they are consistent with most schools in the Lake Conference, and result in annual transportation savings of $130,000, plus one-time savings of $200,000.
District staff are now collecting comments on the start times plan. Review the research make comments through Jan. 15. Comments will be considered for possible final adjustments before start times are finalized on Jan. 24.
Three public sessions are planned for January if you wish to provide feedback in an online meeting. After Jan. 15, district administrators will review the feedback and determine any adjustments to the plan.
Planned 2021-22 Bell Times
Oak Point 7:45-2:15
Eagle Heights 7:45-2:15
Cedar Ridge 8:00-2:30
Forest Hills 8:00-2:30
EPHS 8:35-3:20
Prairie View 8:40-3:10
Eden Lake 8:40-3:10
CMS 9:25-4:07