NJ Mandatory Recess Bill Passes, Heads To Christie's Desk

It’s up to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie… will the Garden State’s K-5 students get a guaranteed 20 minutes of daily recess?

On Thursday, the NJ State Senate unanimously passed S1594, a bill that “requires a public school district to provide a daily recess period for students in grades kindergarten through 5.”

An identical bill previously passed in the Assembly; the potential state law will now head to Christie’s desk for approval or veto.

According to the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, Shirley Turner (D-15), the main reasons for a mandatory recess would be to improve students’ health and allow kids to practice and learn social skills outside of a classroom setting.

“Currently, 16 percent of the nation’s children are overweight, and an increasing number of children are developing cardiovascular risk factors and type 2 diabetes,” the bill states. “The United States Department of Health and Human Services, the United States Department of Education, and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education recommend that school-aged children should participate in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.”

The bill continues:

“Recess also affords a child the opportunity to practice skills such as cooperation, communication, and creativity, and a break from the day’s routine improves attention, focus, behavior, and learning in the classroom. Because recess is such a vital component of a comprehensive school physical activity program and the total educational experience for elementary school students, it is therefore in the best interest of the elementary students in this state that they be provided with a daily recess period.”

In addition, the recess period “shall be held outdoors if feasible” and no student can be denied recess more than twice a week.

A school would not be allowed to use the recess period to satisfy its separate physical education requirement.

Exceptions are allowed for “a consequence of a harassment, intimidation, or bullying investigation,” “on the advice of a medical professional or school nurse” or “on a school day in which the day is substantially shortened due to a delayed opening or early dismissal.”

If signed into law, the bill would take effect on the beginning of the first full school year following its passage.

See the full text of the bill here.

File photo by Phalinn Ooi via flickr