Michigan’s School Schedule Struggle: Let’s Say Goodbye to 8 to 3

Let's be honest, in today's world, who in Michigan finds 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. convenient hours for school? With some parents working jobs that start as early as 6 a.m. and teenagers needing 8 to 10 hours of sleep, the current schedule is something that needs to be worked around, rather than working with families' schedules.

Related: Are Michigan Parents and Students Ready for a 4-Day School Week?

That said, the 8 a.m. start time works incredibly well for 9 to 5ers, but the 3 p.m. dismissal is right in that 'end of the day meeting time' or even the all-important water cooler conversations that really can propel your career. So what is a working family to do? Spend more money on child care.

The History of the 8 to 3 School Day in Michigan and Why it Needs to Be History

The Michigan school schedule followed suit with the rest of the country when the public education system was first evolving in the mid-1800s. During this era, most women stayed at home and the 8 to 3 schedule was advantageous.

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It gave stay-at-home parents the time needed to run errands or complete other tasks that young children would hamper and when the dismissal bell rang at 3, it allowed kids to help around the house, shop, or farm.

Fast forward to today, and a lot of things have changed. In most Michigan households, both parents have to work to make ends meet, sometimes only making a few dollars more than what their daycare costs add up to.

Related: The Average Cost of Raising a Child in Michigan vs. the Rest of the US

Now, let's talk biology. The American Academy of Pediatrics says middle and high schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. for the sake of our kids' sleep. Yet, in 42 states, we're ignoring that advice. It's like telling a bedtime story that keeps getting longer and longer.

So how can the system be modified to better accommodate working families? One solution that has been offered is a 4-day school week, which you can read more about here.

Related: Michigan's Fine, OK! Just Fine! Ranking State By Happiness

Though there may be a few families the current model works for, maybe with parents with different work schedules or a very generous friend, neighbor, or relative who is willing to watch their kids at little to no charge. For the rest of the families barely making things work with the current education times a fresh look is long overdue.