Students may get more recess time in new Tennessee bill

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF)- Are Tennessee students getting enough recess time?

A new bill is arguing they are not.

Filed by Representative Scott Cepicky of Culleoka, Tennessee, it would increase the amount of required recess time for Tennessee students.

Currently, schools are required to allow for 130 minutes per week with a minimum of 15 minutes per day of recess.

This bill, if passed, would increase the amount of required recess time for elementary students to a minimum of an hour per day.

Middle and high school students additionally would get 90 required minutes per week of physical activity.

Supporters of the bill argue the lack of recess time is harming the educational outcomes of students.

Rachel Bush, a representative for the advocacy group “Say YES to RECESS Tennessee”, said, “Looking at the facts in Tennessee, the labor laws requires 30 minutes of break for every six hours of work for our adults, but our children only get 15 minutes for a six and a half to seven hour day, so we are literally violating our own labor law. A study in 2017 said that prison inmates are getting more time outside than elementary school students.”

The bill goes in front of the House’s Education Committee and the full Senate this week for consideration.