Panel likes bill requiring at least 40 minutes of recess for Arkansas elementary students

The Senate Education Committee on Wednesday supported a bill that would require public schools to provide at least 40 minutes of recess to elementary students every day.

House Bill 1409 by Rep. Jana Della Rosa, R-Rogers, mandates 40 minutes of unstructured learning per day.

[RELATED: Complete Democrat-Gazette coverage of the Arkansas Legislature]

Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, the bill's Senate sponsor, said the added recess time improves learning, social development and physical health.

A parent advocate told the committee that most schoolchildren in the state receive about 18 minutes of recess in an average day, and the amount of recess time has been squeezed out of the school schedule because of increased state requirements.

The bill now heads to the Senate for its final legislative hurdle.

-- Hunter Field

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