A new law calls for students in Florida schools to start an hour later next year.
However, the law is facing a lot of backlash as many parents, teachers and school districts say mandatory start times could lead to chaos.
One of the biggest arguments against starting students an hour later has been the traffic.
School officials say starting students later during busy rush hour will make things worse at busy intersections.
Inside the Collier County School Bus Depot on a weekday morning, it can look like organized chaos as nearly a half dozen dispatchers track the district's 255 bus routes, covering 2,300 square miles of roads.
Chief communications officer Chad Oliver described the dispatch system and scheduling as an incredible puzzle.
“They put together every year. So, you're looking at a process that starts at :45 in the morning. The first buses roll out of this transportation area,” Oliver said.
Bus drivers picking up students in the dark has long been an argument for starting school later.
“School start times create the rhythm for communities. They're the clocks we set our days by. When you adjust school start times, you adjust the rhythm of a community,” Oliver explained.
He believes later start times set to take affect next July will force more vehicles and buses into an already hectic rush hour.
“This issue affects not just people with school-age kids but really the entire community,” Oliver stated.
It’s also a concern for parents like Red Gamso, who often takes her kids to school.
“I commute from one county to another, so it’s already 30 minutes to get to work. And when you add in dropping off the children and everything, it takes about an hour,” Gamso said.
She worries it could mean an earlier start time for elementary students, too.
“To try and keep them safe and secure in the dark sounds like a total nightmare,” Gamso stated.
That's why school districts in Lee, Charlotte and Collier counties support a new bill in Florida that calls for repealing those later start times.
Stehpanie Lucarelli is Collier County School Board member and said the districts are simply asking for local control on the matter.
“A government that's closest to the people is going to be able to make the best decisions for their community,” Lucarelli said.
The new law taking away local control goes into effect in July of 2026. There is a bill that has been introduced in the state legislature that would wipe away that law. It would need to be approved by both houses and signed into law by the governor to take effect.