Cooper: Rested and Ready Forum Highlights Momentum and Recent Policy Innovation on School Start Times

HARRISBURG - Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) and other state lawmakers, education leaders and policy staff convened this month at two Rested and Ready virtual forums to advance an ongoing statewide conversation on adolescent sleep health and school start times. The forum included a focus on House Bill 2152, a first-of-its-kind proposal designed to financially incentivize school districts to adopt later secondary school start times aligned with adolescent sleep science.

Hosted by the Regional Adolescent Sleep Needs Coalition (RASNC), the forum brought together superintendents, legislators, physicians and policy experts to examine both the research and real-world implementation of later school schedules in a focused, solutions-oriented dialogue.

"Student success is hampered if they are chronically sleep-deprived," said Cooper, prime sponsor of the bill. "This legislation takes a practical approach by leveraging an existing state grant program to provide financial incentives for districts that choose to align their schedules with what science tells us students need. The Rested and Ready Forum underscored that Pennsylvania is ready to lead on this issue."

House Bill 2152 stands out as a unique policy approach, using a current Pennsylvania grant program to encourage voluntary adoption of healthier school start times rather than imposing a mandate.

"We brought this forum together to move from awareness to action," said RASNC co-chair Michelle Crunkleton. "With at least 48 schools of all kinds across Pennsylvania already making the shift, this is not hypothetical. We know this is achievable. This legislation is about accelerating that progress and supporting districts that are ready to prioritize broad based student well-being."

Superintendent panelists shared firsthand insights into implementation and outcomes.

"Changing start times requires planning and collaboration, but the benefits are clear," said Dr. Tracy Vitale, superintendent of the Seneca Valley School District and a panelist at the forum. "Districts like Seneca Valley that made this transition years ago have seen meaningful improvements in student readiness, engagement and overall health. Incentivizing this work can help more Pennsylvania school districts take that step."

Attendees emphasized the value of the forum's focused, policy-driven approach.
"This forum was an impressive gathering of experts and school leaders," said Dr. George Steinhoff, superintendent of the Penn-Delco School District in Delaware County, who participated in the event. "The all-star cast delivered an exceptional amount of information on the impact of a delayed start time, as well as the research behind the movement. Hearing directly from my fellow superintendents, from all different kinds of districts that have already made the change, provides optimism around the efforts and the opportunity for schools beginning the process of considering the impact of a delayed start time."

With momentum building and dozens of schools already leading the way, organizers expressed optimism that House Bill 2152 and continued collaboration among policymakers and educators will expand adoption of later start times across the Commonwealth.

For more information about the bill, please contact Cooper's office at [email protected] or [email protected]. For more information about RASNC and future initiatives, please contact Amy Goldman at [email protected].

Representative Jill Cooper
55th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
[email protected]
RepJillCooper.com / Facebook.com/RepJillCooper

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