City Schools of Decatur Changes Recess Policy
More metro Atlanta school districts are embracing the idea of that a small break for recess can help kids do better the rest of the day. To ensure their kids were getting a break each day, a group of parents urged the school board to make the change. Courtney Burnett is a spokesperson for the City of Decatur schools.
“The changes came with the time for each day,” Burnett says, “It used to be not to exceed 15 minutes a day, but now it’s not less than 20 minutes a day.”
In addition to receiving a little more time outside, Burnett says educators can’t use recess as a bargaining chip with students:
“The parents asked for and the board agreed that the recess should not be taken away from students for minor disciplinary infractions,” she says.
Recess policies still vary by district. For example, The Atlanta Public Schools and Gwinnett and Cobb counties allow a 15-minute break on days where there is no Physical Education class. Fulton County requires a 15-minute break on non-PE days. Dekalb County mandates a 15-minute break every day.
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