Average start time and percentage distribution of start time for public secondary/high schools, by selected school characteristics and state: 2020–21

		Percentage distribution of start times
Selected school characteristic and state	Average a.m. start time¹	Before 7:30 a.m.		7:30 a.m. to 7:59 a.m.		8:00 a.m. to 8:29 a.m.		8:30 a.m. or later
All public schools	8:07	8.8		27.5		35.5		28.2

School classification
Traditional public	8:06	9.4		28.3		34.8		27.5
Charter school	8:12	4.2	!	21.5		41.0		33.4

Community type
City	8:15	5.9		20.1		35.3		38.7
Suburban	8:03	15.2		30.6		25.3		28.9
Town	8:07	5.0		28.3		41.7		25.0
Rural	8:04	7.3		31.2		42.5		19.0

Student enrollment
Less than 100	8:22	‡		20.2		31.0		47.4
100–199	8:11	6.2	!	24.3		36.6		32.8
200–499	8:06	4.8		28.8		45.5		20.8
500–749	8:04	7.4		32.4		36.6		23.6
750–999	7:58	12.0		37.2		28.5		22.3
1,000 or more	8:04	16.1		25.6		30.5		27.7

Percent of K–12 students who were approved for free or reduced-price lunches²
0–34	8:04	8.4		33.1		34.9		23.5
35–49	8:09	9.7		23.7		41.8		24.8
50–74	8:07	9.7		24.6		35.7		30.0
75 or more	8:09	8.2		25.7		33.5		32.7

State
Alabama	7:52	13.7	!	46.9		19.7	!	19.6	!
Alaska	8:24	‡		26.4	!	29.2	!	44.3
Arizona	7:58	16.4	!	21.7	!	42.2		19.6	!
Arkansas	8:03	‡		45.8		43.4		‡
California	8:25	‡		8.1		40.9		50.6
Colorado	8:08	‡		25.9	!	39.2		26.3	!
Connecticut	7:30	44.0		50.8		‡		‡
Delaware	7:52	26.5	!	43.6		‡		23.4	!
District of Columbia	9:06	‡		‡		‡		100.0
Florida	8:00	32.3		20.0		15.5	!	32.2
Georgia	7:49	26.3	!	26.5	!	34.8		12.4	!
Hawaii	8:12	‡		40.3	!	32.8	!	26.8	!
Idaho	8:12	‡		37.5	!	26.0	!	32.3	!
Illinois	8:10	‡		18.4	!	50.6		28.4
Indiana	8:09	‡		27.5		42.2		25.7
Iowa	8:14	‡		‡		81.4		‡
Kansas	7:57	‡		38.5	!	61.5		‡
Kentucky	8:03	‡		25.3	!	56.4		‡
Louisiana	7:45	20.6	!	51.8		13.9	!	‡
Maine	8:11	‡		33.6	!	37.8		26.4	!
Maryland	8:30	‡		‡		30.8	!	48.6
Massachusetts	7:46	20.2	!	56.7		11.7	!	11.4	!
Michigan	8:05	5.2	!	36.2		26.7		31.8
Minnesota	8:06	‡		35.3		47.2		17.5	!
Mississippi	8:04	‡		53.5		20.1	!	24.1	!
Missouri	7:56	‡		43.3		36.8	!	‡
Montana	8:16	‡		‡		74.7		21.0	!
Nebraska	8:02	‡		23.7	!	76.3		‡
Nevada	7:46	24.5	!	29.7	!	31.2		‡
New Hampshire	7:53	31.0		‡		‡		‡
New Jersey	8:11	16.1	!	21.5	!	19.1	!	43.2
New Mexico	8:18	‡		‡		42.0	!	39.7	!
New York	8:06	8.3	!	34.2		25.8		31.7
North Carolina	8:21	11.5	!	11.6	!	39.8		37.1
North Dakota	8:23	‡		‡		46.4		50.7
Ohio	7:50	13.0	!	44.0		35.2		7.8	!
Oklahoma	8:12	‡		30.2	!	34.1		35.7
Oregon	8:45	‡		‡		11.6	!	77.9
Pennsylvania	8:00	11.3	!	36.7		27.6		24.4	!
Rhode Island	7:53	34.2		22.7	!	‡		27.3	!
South Carolina	8:23	‡		‡		45.7		40.6
South Dakota	8:10	‡		‡		89.6		‡
Tennessee	7:53	‡		48.9		35.7		‡
Texas	8:09	4.0		26.8		40.5		28.8
Utah	7:57	‡		37.3		59.3		‡
Vermont	8:22	‡		19.5	!	50.2		30.2	!
Virginia	8:30	‡		12.3	!	21.2	!	59.7
Washington	8:16	‡		28.7	!	34.2	!	‡
West Virginia	7:54	28.3		22.2	!	36.5		‡
Wisconsin	8:02	‡		30.1		46.0		‡
Wyoming	7:58	‡		35.3	!	60.0		‡

! Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 percent and 50 percent (i.e., the standard error is at least 30 percent and less than 50 percent of the estimate).

‡ Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable analysis, or the coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is 50 percent or greater (i.e., the standard error is 50 percent or more of the estimate).

¹The 0.11 percent of secondary/high schools with afternoon start times were not included in the average start time.

²Schools that don’t participate in the free or reduced-price lunch program are included with the "0–34" percent category.

NOTE: Secondary/high schools are defined as schools that enrolled students in at least as many of grades 9 through 12 as in lower grades. School level categories in the 2020–21 NTPS differ from those in previous survey administrations; caution should be exercised when comparing estimates by level over time. Data are weighted estimates of the population. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding and because some data are not shown.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Data File," 2020–21.