(a) In this section, “healthy school start time” means a school starting time of no earlier than 8:00 a.m. (b) Established

• (1) Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, there is an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification in the Department.
• (2) The purpose of the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification is to recognize a local school system that creates, implements, and enforces school start times that are consistent with the school start times recommended by the Department, the Maryland Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

(c)Application.

• (1) A local school system may submit to the Department an application for the Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification.
• (2) The Department shall grant the appropriate Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification to a local school system that meets the requirements of this section.

(d)Qualification. To qualify for an Orange Ribbon for Healthy School Hours certification, a local school system:

• (1) May not have:

• (i) An elementary school in the local school system that requires a student to:

• 1. Be in class before 8:00 a.m.; and2. Board a school bus before 7:00 a.m.; and (ii) A middle or high school in the local school system that requires a student to: 1. Be in class before 8:30 a.m.; and2. Board a school bus before 7:30 a.m.; and

• (2) Shall:

• (i) Conduct at least two targeted and televised public education forums for students, parents, teachers, and school staff on the necessity of healthy school start times, the consequences of chronic sleep deprivation, and the health and safety impact of aligning school start times with adolescent sleep patterns;

• (ii) 1. Inform the following stakeholders of the importance of healthy school start times:

• A. Teachers;

• B. Parents;

• C. Students;

• D. Administrators;

• E. School staff;

• F. Transportation providers;

• G. Athletic directors;

• H. Local business owners;

• I. Coaches;

• J. Child care providers;

• K. Local employers of students;

• L. City or county agencies that provide services or opportunities to students; and

• M. Organizations that use local school systems' fields and facilities on a regular basis; and

• 2. Engage the stakeholders listed in item 1 of this item in conversations to discuss possible contraindications of altering current school start times; and

• (iii) Notify the public and stakeholders of any changes to school start times.