District 20 delays implementing new start and end times to 2024/2025 academic year
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Academy District 20 announced it's delaying the implementation of the new school start/end times until the 2024-2025 academic school year.
On Jan. 24, D20 said it was changing the times for the 2023-2024 school year. This announcement came with heavy pushback from some parents, many of who signed a petition against the change.
Now, in a newsletter sent to parents Friday evening, officials announced the new times wouldn't be happening for another year. The district said it's heard from parents "who agree with the proposal, as well as parents who do not." Because there wasn't a universal agreement about the specifics of the plan, the change is being pushed back.
D20 said the delay is to "provide more clarity and better understanding about the impacts and scope of this proposal."
The proposed time changes are:
- Elementary School: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
- Middle School 8:50 a.m. - 3:55 p.m.*
- *(Challenger Middle School (CMS): 8:20 a.m. - 3:25 p.m. CMS shares the Black Forest bus transportation with Pine Creek High School due to the density of riders from the Black Forest.)
- High School 8:10 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
According to D20, the district will discuss within the community about the time changes through several in-person community forums across the district.
Once those dates are set, they'll be sent out to parents and guardians.
However, the district said because of the delay, D20 might not be able to provide bus services for field trips, after-school activities, and special events.
