Tennessee takes pride in providing a quality educational experience to its nearly 1 million students. However, one critical area where we are falling behind is recess. Our state mandates only 15 minutes of daily recess for elementary students and no requirement for middle schoolers. Meanwhile, Tennessee's labor laws guarantee adults a 30-minute break for every six hours of work. This raises the question: how can we justify giving our children, who spend between 6.5 and 7 hours in school each day, so little time to move, play, and recharge?

Texas Project: Recess Leads to Better Academic Outcomes

Approximately one in five U.S. children is obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Tennessee, the obesity rate among children averages a bit higher at 22.7%. This is a shameful situation that demands action. It's time to recalibrate the school day by providing our children with more opportunities for unstructured, outdoor play.Recess is essential for children's physical activity, social development, and emotional well-being. For many students, it is their only chance to move freely during the day. They are often restricted from playing during lunch, and physical education, when available, only occurs once or twice a week. With such limited time for movement, we are putting our children's holistic development at risk.One prominent example is the LiiNK Project (liinkproject.tcu.edu), initiated by Dr. Debbie Rhea at Texas Christian University. This nine-year project has shown that increased recess time leads to significant benefits for students' physical health, academic performance, and mental well-being. The LiiNK Project found a 40% reduction in off-task behavior, a 10% increase in standardized test scores by fourth grade, and a significant reduction in chronic stress and anxiety. These findings clearly demonstrate that more recess leads to more engaged, well-rounded learners.

Importance of Physical Activity for Children

Decreasing physical activity is a major factor in the rising rate of childhood obesity in the nation. As adults, we know that sitting for long periods is not good for us, so why are we expecting our kids to do the same? Studies like The Power of Play further highlight that children who engage in unstructured play develop stronger memory, language skills, and behavior regulation, all of which contribute to better academic performance.Tennessee is, shockingly, disregarding its own recommendations. The 2023-24 Coordinated School Health: Physical Education & Physical Activity Annual Report, released by the Tennessee Department of Education, supports the critical role of physical activity in improving students' cognitive functions like concentration and memory. It concludes that students who are regularly active perform better academically, with higher test scores and improved attention spans. Yet, despite this compelling evidence, Tennessee's schools are not implementing the practices that their own report highlights as essential, particularly through recess. The state's neglect of these guidelines, which are vital for children's social and emotional development, shows a clear contradiction between their findings and their actions.

Call for Legislative Action

To remedy this situation, I am calling on my colleagues to enact legislation requiring two 30-minute, unstructured, screen-free recess periods for elementary students - one in the morning and one in the afternoon - and at least one 30-minute recess period for middle school students. Our current 15-minute mandate for elementary students is inadequate, and middle school students deserve at least one daily break. This is not a radical idea; it's common sense. We already mandate breaks for adults, so why aren't we giving our children the same consideration? Tennessee needs to take action and start moving - both literally and figuratively. If we let kids be kids and give them the time they need to thrive in a healthy, balanced school environment, we will raise healthier, happier, and more productive adults.Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, represents District 64 of the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes part of Maury County.