School board approves new ‘bell times’
School District of Lee County students will have different bell times for the 2025-26 school year.
On April 8, the Lee County School Board unanimously agreed to implement the changes next year as part of the district’s Safe Start Initiative.
The initiative transitions transportation to a three-tiered system. It focuses on improving bus routes, addressing driver shortages and improving timely arrivals for students. According to the district, spacing start times an hour apart will allow bus drivers the opportunity to finish their first tier before moving onto the next.
According to past meetings, the district said the current transportation route system has an 82.75% average morning on-time rate, while the afternoon on time rate is at 59.5%.
Elementary school bell times will change to 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m., with a few exceptions.
Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary School and Skyline Elementary School in Cape Coral will run from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This also includes Bayshore School, North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts, The Alva School, The Sanibel School, and Veterans Park Academy for the Arts.
Middle school bell times will be from 9:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and high school bell times will be from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
With the high school change, classes will extend to 49 minutes and a 30-minute lunch. This extra instruction will add 42 hours of class time during the school year. At the elementary and middle school level there is an additional 15 minutes added to the day, which will provide a 30-minute lunch break.
There are different times set for special centers:
– Cape Coral Technical College and Fort Myers Technical College from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
– Lee Virtual School from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
– Young Parent Education Program from 8:40 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
– Early Childhood Learning Center — Head Start Schools hours from 8:55 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Infant and Toddler school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
– Royal Palm Exceptional Center, Buckingham Exceptional Student Center and Success Academy from 9:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
The fiscal impact of the approved bell times and any bell times adjusted by plus or minus 15 minutes will be included in transportations budget for fiscal year 2026.
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