Pennsylvania mandates recess at K-12 schools
Young Life. Schools must provide 30 minutes of daily recess for K-12 students starting next school year
| 15 Sep 2026 | 08:18
Gov. Josh Shapiro announces Pennsylvania’s new recess requirement at North Wales Elementary School in Montgomery County. (
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A new Pennsylvania law now requires all students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade to receive at least 30 minutes of recess for each full school day beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
“Quality education is about more than dollars and cents - it’s also about common sense,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “It’s hard to focus when you haven’t had a chance to move around. Recess gives kids time to exercise, get some fresh air, interact with their classmates, work through conflicts, and come back to the classroom ready to learn. We’ve got to get back to basics, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with 30 minutes of recess every day for every K-5 student in Pennsylvania.”