In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that would have required all public and public-affiliated charter schools to establish school starting times for middle and high school students to no earlier than 8:00 and 8:30 AM, respectively.  F.S. 1001.42(4)(f)2 was passed with strong objection by all school districts in the state of Florida and without any consultation with those districts.  After two years of negotiations and data that showed this law would have an adverse economic effect on districts, and in many cases parents, Senate Bill 296 was introduced and passed in both houses and signed into law by Governor Desantis in the late spring of 2025.  This bill is provided for a State Board of Education Rule 6A-1.0455 which addresses middle and high school start times.  This bill did not delete the previously passed F.S. 1001.42(4)(f)2 but provided for a waiver method for that statute and state board rules established around it.  The final state board rule and waiver method were finalized in March of 2026.

Holmes District Schools and neighboring districts are currently in the process of executing that waiver process.  Holmes District Schools will maintain the traditional start times that have been in effect for several years.  The survey that was released noted this disclaimer. By law we are required to conduct or gather input from the public as to their desire for school start times and that is the purpose of our survey.  Through social media there seems to be an overwhelming desire to keep our traditional start times.  Holmes District Schools are in full agreement with this.

There are no plans to change school starting times for the 2026-27 school year.  We are simply trying to follow the statutory requirements of the law.

Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent of School