How Does Every U.S. State Compare in Their Recess Policies?

If you are in your twenties or older, you probably look back to your elementary school days and remember recess fondly. Sadly, over the years some schools in the US have done away with recess entirely in order to boost test scores. Even though there are studies that contradict that very notion. In 2016, psychologist Karrie Godwin researched the attentiveness of elementary students during class and found they could focus better with lessons that were taught with short breaks. Recess and brain breaks not only help students decompress, but also encourages them to practice social skills and allows them to play creatively with their own imaginations. The students in the study were found to be more focused and less distracted when they were allowed short breaks. You may be surprised to find out that most states do not have any laws that require recess in schools. There are only five states that mandate a 20-minute break. This map of recess policies across America gives each state a grade letter score from A to F.

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Massachusetts which is currently receives a D score has the opportunity to improve their grade if a recent bill is passed that requires 20 minutes of recess. There are some states like Maine, Maryland, Oregon, South Carolina, and Wisconsin where recess can be withheld from a student as a form of punishment. The best recess policies on the map are found in states that mandate 20-30 minutes of daily recess. Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Arkansas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, and Rhode Island all got A’s.