Healthy Recess for Learning Act

This Act may be cited as the “Healthy Recess for Learning Act”.

Congress finds the following:

(1) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the years 2021–2023, 21 percent of American youth were obese.

(2) Twenty-five percent of children in the United States are sedentary.

(3) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends school-aged children and adolescents get at least 60 minutes of exercise every day.

(4) Nearly half of type 2 diabetes cases in kids are caused by obesity.

(5) Seventy percent of youth with obesity have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

(6) Elementary and middle school recess has declined sharply over the past 2 decades, especially in lower-income school districts.

(7) Regular physical activity and free play improve attention, behavior, memory, focus, and academic performance.

(8) The findings of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and multiple studies show recess reduces disruptions and supports stronger learning without hurting instructional time.

Section 1112(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6312(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (12), by striking “and” at the end;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (13) as paragraph (14); and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (12) the following:

“(13) if determined appropriate by the local educational agency, how the local educational agency will provide elementary and secondary school students with at least 60 minutes of physical activity time during each regular school day as described in section 8549D; and”.

Section 4108(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7118(5)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (H)(iii), by striking “or” at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (I), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

“(J) programs or activities that provide students with not less than 60 minutes of daily recess or other periods of unstructured physical activity during the regular school day, consistent with the age and developmental needs of students.”.

Subpart 2 of part F of title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“8549D. Physical activity time for elementary and secondary school students.—

(a) Requirement.— Each local educational agency receiving funds under part A of title I is encouraged to establish and maintain a policy pursuant to which students of elementary and secondary schools under the jurisdiction of that agency are provided with at least 60 minutes of physical activity time during each regular school day.

(b) Physical activity time defined.— In this section, the term physical activity time means time during which a student is given an opportunity to engage in physical exercise, inclusive of time spent in designated periods of recess and physical education courses.”.