During the 2023 Florida legislative session, House Bill 733 was passed and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 12, 2023. The law goes into effect July 1, 2023, with a full implementation deadline of July 1, 2026.

What does this new law do?

This law requires that all Florida school districts start their student school day for middle schools no earlier than 8:00 a.m., and high schools may begin no earlier than 8:30 a.m.. The law goes into effect July 1, 2023, requiring that school districts begin working toward implementation for all middle and high schools within their district by July 1, 2026.

What does this mean for the Suwannee County School District?

In order to be compliant with the law, our District will move to implement the new school start times with the beginning of the school year on August 10, 2023. This will allow time for our District to work through and address concerns that arise, as a result of the required new start times.

What are the new school starting times and ending times?

Regular Pre-K - 12 Schools	Drop Off Allowed by Parents	Drop Off Bus Riders	First Bell	Start Bell	Final Bell
Suwannee Springcrest Elementary	7:45	7:50	8:15	8:20	3:15
Suwannee Riverside Elementary	7:50	7:52	8:20	8:25	3:20
Suwannee Pineview Elementary	7:55	7:55	8:25	8:30	3:25
Suwannee Middle	7:55	7:55	8:25	8:30	2:45
Suwannee High	7:55	7:50	8:25	8:30	2:45
Branford Elementary	7:45	7:55	8:15	8:20	3:10
Branford High	7:55	8:05	8:25	8:30	2:48

Why are elementary schools also starting later?

Most school districts similar to Suwannee, or smaller in size, run bus routes for students, in all grade levels, in the same bus route cycle. Because our students are spread out across the county, there is no other way or time to conduct more than one bus route per section of geographic area. Because middle school and high school students must start later, by law, the District is required to move all start times later for all schools.

May parents drop off students earlier than the posted drop-off times?

No. By Florida Law, supervision of students begins 30 minutes prior to the first school bell of the school day. Just as a parent would not drop off a student at 5:00 a.m. for the start of a school day, a parent may not begin dropping off students, and releasing students to the supervision of school personnel, any earlier than the posted time. Students are not the responsibility of the District prior to the posted time.

NOTE: Students may be dropped off by parents earlier than the posted time, should the student be a part of a before school program that is organized by the school, and posts an earlier drop-off time for the purposes of attending the program.