Shifting School Start and End Times, K-12
Shifting School Start Times, K-12
The Fairport Central School District and the Board of Education are dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of all Fairport students. To that effect, the Fairport Board of Education has resolved to change the beginning and end times of school days for grades kindergarten through 12 to better align with research about both the importance of sleep for adolescents and improved outcomes at school that correlate with later arrival times for older students. This shift will go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year.
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The FCSD Board of Education and District administration is dedicated to aligning policy with best practices for the health and safety of Fairport students. According to the Monroe County Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is administered to middle and high school students every two years, 75% of Fairport students grades 9-12 report getting less than 8 hours of sleep each night. 42% of Fairport students grades 9-12 are getting less than or equal 6 hours of sleep. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, adolescents between 13 and 18 years old require 8-10 hours of sleep each day.
Insufficient sleep can affect:
- Academic functioning
- Insufficient sleep is tied to:
- Lower academic achievement
- Impaired executive fuctioning
- Higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness
- Insufficient sleep is tied to:
- Physical health
- Insufficient sleep is tied to:
- Cardiometabolic risk
- Common illnesses
- Headaches
- Obesity
- Insufficient sleep is tied to:
- Emotional health
- Insufficient sleep can lead to:
- Poor impulse control
- Risk for substance use
- Behavioral problems
- Insufficient sleep can lead to:
- Safety
- Insufficient sleep can lead to:
- Drowsy driving crashes
- An increase in sports-related injuries
- An increase in risk-taking behaviors
- Insufficient sleep can lead to:
- Academic functioning
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Evidence shows that starting school after 8:30 a.m. for adolescents can lead to:
- More sleep, lower weekday to weekend differences, and reduced sleepiness
- Improvement in attendance and graduation rates
- Reductions in drowsy driving and motor vehicle accidents
- Improvements in adolescent alertness, mood and health
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As the District has shared with families, the 2026-2027 shift in school start and end times also includes the expansion of the partnership between the YMCA of Greater Rochester and the District to provide affordable before- and after-school wrap care for Fairport families right in our Fairport schools. The District and the YMCA have had a long and successful collaboration providing care to our Fairport students after the school day in our facilities and as a community partner. The network of resources and scholarships available to families through the YMCA is second to none and we are proud to connect our Fairport families with the care provided by the Y.
Wrap-Around Care for the 2026-2027 School Year
In partnership with the YMCA of Greater Rochester, the District is expanding wrap-around care in our elementary schools beginning in the 2026-2027 school year as part of our shifting school start and end times. This expanded partnership is an opportunity to meet the before- and after-school needs of our Fairport families.
Below are Frequently Asked Questions about the Y’s wrap care availability, registration, scheduling, rates and programming. The District encourages all families with additional questions regarding before- and after-school care in the 2026-2027 school year to call the Y at 585-341-4010 or email ROCbasp@RochesterYMCA.org. You can also find information and registration links at the Y’s Before and After School Program website.
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- Families whose child or children currently participate in before- or after-school care through the Y and new families of UPK students in an FCSD classroom will be able to register for the coming school year on or after March 27, 2026. The YMCA will reach out to these families individually.
- Open registration for families new to the Y’s before- and after-school care can register online on April 13, 2026.
- If there are no more placements available at their student’s school when a family attempts to register, they will be placed on a waiting list.
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- The Y’s before- and after-school care requires pre-registration. There is no “day of” or “drop in” care available.
- The Y will have additional programming available during school breaks. This programming also requires separate pre-registration.
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Fairport students in pre-K through age 12 can be registered or added to the waitlist for after-school programming in the 2026-2027 school year.
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- When registering, please reach out to the YMCA at 585-341-4010 for assistance.
- If Jefferson Avenue students require before-school care, the District will provide transportation from either Northside/Dudley or Brooks Hill to Jefferson Avenue for the school day.
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- The before-school care programs at Northside/Dudley and Brooks Hill will start at 6:45 a.m. and run until the start of the school day.
- The YMCA’s after-school programming will begin at the end of each elementary school day and end at 6 p.m. Monday through Friday during the 2026-2027 school year.
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- When registering, please reach out to the YMCA at 585-341-4010 for assistance.
- The YMCA’s programming is for students who are in pre-K up to 12 years old. If a middle school family needs wrap care, the District will provide transportation to Northside/Dudley or Brooks Hill from their middle school.
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- After-school care
- Locations at Dudley/Northside, Jefferson Avenue and Brooks Hill
- Before-school care
- Locations at Brooks Hill and Northside/Dudley ONLY
Care 4-5 Days Per Week Care 3 Days Per Week Before-school care: 6:45 a.m. to beginning of school day
$74 weekly $58 weekly After-school care: End of school day to 6 p.m. $143 weekly $109 weekly - After-school care
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Universal pre-kindergarten students who participate in UPK programming in a classroom within an FCSD school (Brooks Hill or Dudley) can also be registered for before- and after-school care.
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- Both Northside/Dudley and Brooks Hill will have a before-school program.
- After-school care by the YMCA of Greater Rochester will be held at Northside/Dudley, Brooks Hill and Jefferson Avenue elementary schools during the 2026-2027 school year.
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If you or a family member are interested in applying for employment with the Y’s before- and after-school programs, visit the Y’s career website or send an email to the Y.
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- During before- and after-school care, FCSD students will participate in age- and grade-appropriate activities in groups. These activities include at least one physical activity or game, along with time outside (weather permitting) and indoor activities like arts and crafts or homework support. Throughout the program, student groups will rotate through these activities.
- The Y provides students with a snack option each day.
Bell and Transportation Schedule for the 2026-2027 school year
| Buses drop off at school | School day start time | School day end time | Buses depart from school | |
| TIER 1 BUS SCHEDULE – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | ||||
| DUDLEY | 7:30 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 2:20 p.m. |
| NORTHSIDE | 7:30 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 2:20 p.m. |
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BROOKS HILL |
7:30 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 2:20 p.m. |
| JEFFERSON AVE. | 7:30 a.m. | 7:45 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | 2:20 p.m. |
| TIER 2 BUS SCHEDULE – MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL | ||||
| JOHANNA PERRIN | 8:30 a.m. | 8:40 a.m. | 3:25 p.m. | 3:35 p.m. |
| MARTHA BROWN | 8:30 a.m. | 8:40 a.m. | 3:25 p.m. | 3:35 p.m. |
| FAIRPORT HIGH SCHOOL | 8:30 a.m. | 8:40 a.m. | 3:25 p.m. | 3:35 p.m. |
The 2026-2027 school year will bring exciting changes to the Fairport Central School District. In September 2026, our ninth grade students will begin their high school careers at a consolidated Fairport High School and the entire District (grades K-12) will shift the school day’s start and end times to better align with best practices for student health and wellbeing.
Through close collaboration with our Transportation Department, the District has developed an updated bell and transportation schedule for the 2026-2027 school year. This updated schedule streamlines the District’s daily transportation schedule by moving school bus runs to a two-tiered system, instead of the three-tiered schedule currently in effect.
Timeline, Presentations and Documents
Research
Click through the below links to view recommendations, resources and discussion on shifting school start times for pre-adolescents and adolescents. These sources, along with many others and consultation with doctors at University of Rochester Medical Center, helped inform the Board of Education’s decision to shift school start and end times for grades K-12.