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When to Eat and When to Play: Variations in Recess and Lunch Scheduling within a State 40-Min Recess Policy

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Title: When to Eat and When to Play: Variations in Recess and Lunch Scheduling within a State 40-Min Recess Policy
Language: English
Authors: Erin K. Howie (ORCID 0000-0002-9948-7415), Samantha M. Harden, Juan Lemus, Brett Stone, Daheia J. Barr-Anderson, Christopher R. Long
Source: Journal of School Health. 2025 95(10):837-845.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) (DHHS/NIH)
Contract Number: P50MD017319
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Recess Breaks, Educational Policy, Elementary Schools, Scheduling, School Schedules, Time, Institutional Characteristics, Student Characteristics, Instructional Program Divisions, Public Schools, Charter Schools, Rural Urban Differences, Minority Group Students, Socioeconomic Status, Academic Achievement
Geographic Terms: Arkansas
DOI: 10.1111/josh.70055
ISSN: 0022-4391
1746-1561
Abstract: Background: Little is known on the implementation of school recess policies to explore the policy-to-practice gap and to ultimately promote quality recess for all students. The purpose was to determine recess scheduling in a state requiring 40 min of daily recess. Methods: A cross-sectional document analysis of public elementary schools' recess schedules from the 2023 to 2024 school year (n = 526 available schools). Schedules by grade level were compared between school grades, rurality, and minority enrollment. Results: Schedules were obtained from 113 (n = 535 grade-level schedules) schools. Overall, 51.4% of grades received two daily recess periods. The average total duration of recess was 34.4 (SD 11.8) minutes. A total of 43% of grades had recess before lunch. Upper grades had a shorter recess duration compared to lower grades (B -1.2 min, p = 0.009) and were more likely to have their first recess in the afternoon (OR 4.8, p < 0.001). Urban (p = 0.017) and high minority enrollment (p = 0.020) schools were more likely to have recess immediately following lunch. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Schools should consider providing equal opportunities for recess duration and scheduling across grades and consider options for recess before lunch. Conclusions: Recess scheduling varies in frequency, duration, and timing within one state-level recess requirement.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1482318
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: When to Eat and When to Play: Variations in Recess and Lunch Scheduling within a State 40-Min Recess Policy
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Erin+K%2E+Howie%22&quot;&gt;Erin K. Howie&lt;/searchLink&gt; (ORCID &lt;externalLink term=&quot;https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9948-7415&quot;&gt;0000-0002-9948-7415&lt;/externalLink&gt;)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Samantha+M%2E+Harden%22&quot;&gt;Samantha M. Harden&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Juan+Lemus%22&quot;&gt;Juan Lemus&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Brett+Stone%22&quot;&gt;Brett Stone&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Daheia+J%2E+Barr-Anderson%22&quot;&gt;Daheia J. Barr-Anderson&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Christopher+R%2E+Long%22&quot;&gt;Christopher R. Long&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) (DHHS/NIH)
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Arkansas%22&quot;&gt;Arkansas&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: 10.1111/josh.70055
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  Data: 0022-4391&lt;br /&gt;1746-1561
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Little is known on the implementation of school recess policies to explore the policy-to-practice gap and to ultimately promote quality recess for all students. The purpose was to determine recess scheduling in a state requiring 40 min of daily recess. Methods: A cross-sectional document analysis of public elementary schools&#39; recess schedules from the 2023 to 2024 school year (n = 526 available schools). Schedules by grade level were compared between school grades, rurality, and minority enrollment. Results: Schedules were obtained from 113 (n = 535 grade-level schedules) schools. Overall, 51.4% of grades received two daily recess periods. The average total duration of recess was 34.4 (SD 11.8) minutes. A total of 43% of grades had recess before lunch. Upper grades had a shorter recess duration compared to lower grades (B -1.2 min, p = 0.009) and were more likely to have their first recess in the afternoon (OR 4.8, p &lt; 0.001). Urban (p = 0.017) and high minority enrollment (p = 0.020) schools were more likely to have recess immediately following lunch. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Schools should consider providing equal opportunities for recess duration and scheduling across grades and consider options for recess before lunch. Conclusions: Recess scheduling varies in frequency, duration, and timing within one state-level recess requirement.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1482318
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1482318
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        Value: 10.1111/josh.70055
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 837
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Recess Breaks
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scheduling
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      – SubjectFull: School Schedules
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      – SubjectFull: Time
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Urban Differences
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      – SubjectFull: Arkansas
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      – TitleFull: When to Eat and When to Play: Variations in Recess and Lunch Scheduling within a State 40-Min Recess Policy
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