Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood will recommend a 20-minute adjustment to the District's three-tiered school bell schedule, moving all start and dismissal times earlier, effective for the 2026-27 school year.
The proposal comes directly from feedback Dr. Yearwood received from school leaders and staff about the current schedule's challenges. The key concern centers on the current latest start time of 9:40 a.m., which principals and staff feel is too late in the day, contributing to operational difficulties and strain on staffing.
“We have heard clearly from our principals and staff that the 9:40 a.m. start time is adding pressure to our teams,” Dr. Yearwood said. “This adjustment will help us better support our educators while still maintaining our focus on student learning.”
If approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE), the shift would move all start and end times ahead by 20 minutes.
Start and dismissal times would adjust as follows:
7:30 a.m.–2:10 p.m. would shift to 7:10 a.m.–1:50 p.m.
8:40 a.m.–3:20 p.m. would shift to 8:20 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
9:40 a.m.–4:20 p.m. would shift to 9:20 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
The recommendation will be on the Dec. 9 Jefferson County Board of Education meeting agenda.