School board rejects delaying starting times at schools

The county school board last night rejected a proposal that would have delayed starting times at all schools by 15 minutes.

With a split 4-4 vote, school board members kept the county's 7:17 a.m. high school start time - the earliest in the state.

But supporters of a change vowed to continue the fight, saying they'll ask county officials to include the $3 or $4 million administrators estimate it would take to push back openings to 8 a.m.

"I guess we're back to budget hearings," said Judith Billage, chairman of the Annapolis High School Citizens Advisory Committee and a leader in the fight for later start...