Bill > S417

This bill mandates that all students in kindergarten through 8th grade attending public or charter schools in Massachusetts must receive at least 30 consecutive minutes of supervised, safe, and unstructured free-play recess daily. The recess should be conducted outdoors whenever weather and air quality permit, and if held indoors, the space must promote physical activity. The bill specifically defines "free-play recess" as an unstructured environment supervised by school personnel. Schools are prohibited from reducing recess time due to curriculum changes or withholding recess to provide academic services, including for students with individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans. The Department of Education cannot exclude recess from structured learning time requirements and cannot increase the total school year hours to implement this provision. Schools may provide shorter recess on days with delayed openings, early dismissals, or shortened schedules, and the requirements do not apply to days with field trips. The overall intent is to ensure that elementary and middle school students have consistent, dedicated time for unstructured play and physical activity during the school day.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S417