Senate President Mattie Daughtry laughs as her mother, Hallie Daughtry, of Brunswick, handles the gavel at the State House in December. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

Sen. Mattie Daughtry first introduced a bill to push Maine’s high school start time to 8:30 when she was 25 years old. That was more than a decade ago, and the now-Senate president presented the bill for the sixth time Thursday.

Daughtry, D-Brunswick, believes letting teens start their school day later will help them achieve better grades and improve their overall well-being, and she said a growing body of science supports the need for teenagers to get more sleep in the morning.

Critics say the mandate would create logistical challenges with transportation and extracurriculars, and that school districts should get to make the decision for themselves.

At a hearing in front of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Thursday, lawmakers said they want to see more research on the impacts, and hear from families and students who would be affected, but seemed open to the bill that Daughtry has been championing for over 10 years. Those efforts have always stalled without broad support.

“This bill does not impose an untested or theoretical change,” Daughtry said while her staff passed out cookies frosted to look like clocks to committee members. “It builds on successful efforts across the country and within our own state.”

Since first introducing the bill, other states like California and Florida have passed similar laws, she said, and several Maine school districts, including Portland, South Portland, Bath and Biddeford, have implemented their late-start policies.

Sen. James Libby, R-Cumberland, expressed concern about the implications for students who want to work after-school jobs.

“I think whether it’s sports or having to bring in money for the family or extracurriculars or theater, it’s incumbent on us as adults to make sure that we are moving our schedules to support our students,” Daughtry responded. 

Old Orchard Beach High School students walk to their morning classes in March 2022. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald

Deborah Hagler from the American Academy of Pediatrics in Maine said studies show later start times result in improved attendance, higher academic performance, less tardiness and fewer car accidents.

Henry Fisher, a high school senior from Farmingdale, testified in support of the bill, and said many of his peers in the rural school district struggle with long commutes before the sunrise.

“A later start time is not just about convenience, it is about health, well-being and academic success,” Fisher said.

The committee received dozens of letters from students, parents and administrators who where overwhelmingly supportive of the bill. However, some statewide groups criticized it, characterizing the bill as “one size fits all” in a state that needs more localized policies. Some also mentioned the implications for career and technical education.

Robbie Feinberg, a spokesperson for the Maine School Management Association, testified against the bill, arguing that districts’ needs vary too much for the state to impose a blanket start time policy.

“Changing the school start time affects nearly every part of our schools and our communities: buses, sports, jobs, child care,” Feinburg said. “With so much at stake, these policies need to be guided by those who understand the specific needs of their districts: local school boards and administrators.”

Beth Lambert with the Maine Department of Education also submitted testimony against the bill, and said different school districts need to be able to pick start times that work for them based on geographic, demographic and logistical factors.