new school times

I got an automated message from the kids school - they are changing the start times of all the schools next year. I had some prior warning on this as M came home a few weeks ago and said that T (the superintendant's daughter, who is in his class) said school would start earlier next year. I wouldn't normally give much heed to a second-hand info from a kid, but considering the source, it was worth looking in to. I asked D, and he said he had heard a rumor from a student....hmmm, sounding more likely all the time. So at the last PTA meeting, I button-holed the principal and asked her - yep, they were considering it. It seems the school board just voted a few nights ago and they have changed the times, all right. Elementary will start earlier next year, 7:35 (instead of the current 7:50). They were considering 7:15, so I guess I should be glad. They will get out at 2:10. They claim that the buses will not run any (or not more than 5 min) earlier - I hope not! My kids are getting on the bus at 6:45am now! I have to wonder if the earlier start time didn't fly as they couldn't work the bus routes?
Anyhow, middle and high school are also changing times, and this will affect us soon - M will start middle school in less than 1.5 years. At that point, if these times stick, middle won't start until 8:45 and will go until 3:55. High schoolers will go 8:05-3:10. They say one reason for changing all the times around is to split up middle and high school bus routes and to have more buses running so the middle & high routes aren't as crowded. We'll see.