Parents Advocate More Recess Time in Public Schools

Arkansas parents are advocating more recess time be given to elementary school students attending public school. The average time allotted to recess in Arkansas is one, 15 minute period per day, usually during lunch. Many parents feel that this is not enough and there is research to back up their claims.

What the Law Requires

Arkansas law requires that children in kindergarten through fifth grade receive 150 minutes per week of appropriate physical activity. There are no mandates as to exactly how this should be accomplished. Arkansas law mandates 6 hours of daily instruction time.

Public Schools

Most public schools in Arkansas allow elementary school students 15 minutes of recess per day. Schools have one or two PE classes per week. The rest of the time is up to the individual schools. Some schools comply by requiring parents to have their children engage in physical activity at home.

Children enrolled in the Arkansas Virtual Academy and other public school-at-home options have a different situation. The physical activity requirement is not enforced for these students. Last year, the public school-at-home sent a CD that shows different types of games to play. It would be great if I had 10 kids, but with one elementary school age kid at home, it was irrelevant to my situation.

The position of the Fayetteville School District is that more recess time cannot be added into the schedule unless the school day is extended. Right now, Fayetteville Schools are offering one 15-minute recess period per day for elementary school students. They would only have to add 5 minutes more per day to the current recess in order to meet NASPE recommendations. Other school districts in Arkansas have the same position as Fayetteville.

The Case for More Recess Time

Research by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)
states in their paper "Recess for Elementary School Students" that elementary school students should have at least 20 minutes of recess each day. The report emphasizes that physical activity improves focus, attention, behavior and learning in the classroom.

Obesity is a growing problem with today's children. Type 2 diabetes is showing up in children under the age of 18. Ten years ago, this was unheard of. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to obesity. Kids need to move, run and play. Recess is just one way to get kids moving. Physical activity plays an important role in learning how to be a healthy individual.

Increasing recess time will improve test scores, reduce behavior problems in the classroom and improve the health of elementary school age children. Parents and schools should work together to make sure that the public school system provides the healthiest environment possible for our children.

Sources:

National Association for Sport and Physical Education; "Recess for Elementary School Students", 2006

Fair Play for Recess

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