Bill > HB5794

This bill, amending the State School Aid Act of 1979, mandates that all public schools in Michigan must provide daily recess for students in kindergarten through 5th grade, with the option to extend it to older students. Recess is defined as unstructured, child-directed play that primarily occurs outdoors, unless weather prevents it, and specifically excludes time spent traveling to or from school buses, dressing for outdoor play, or using electronic devices unless required by a student's individualized education program (IEP) or section 504 plan, which are formal plans to support students with disabilities. For school days that are five hours or longer, recess must be at least 40 minutes, and for shorter days, it must be at least one-tenth of the school day. Importantly, recess cannot be withheld for disciplinary reasons, except in rare cases where a student poses an immediate threat and all other efforts to resolve the situation have failed. The bill also clarifies that physical education classes do not count as recess.