Senate Bill S6256

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires a period of unstructured physical play for pupils enrolled in kindergarten and grades one through five

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-S6256 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A8007
Current Committee:
Senate Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §813-a, Ed L

2023-S6256 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires a period of unstructured physical play for pupils enrolled in kindergarten and grades one through five.

2023-S6256 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S6256 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6256
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 10, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a period  of
   unstructured  physical  play  for  pupils enrolled in kindergarten and
   grades one through five

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 813-a
 to read as follows:
   § 813-A. SCHOOL RECESS PERIOD; SCHEDULING. 1. AS USED IN THIS  SECTION
 THE TERM "RECESS" MEANS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED, SUPERVISED, PERIOD IN THE
 SCHOOL  DAY  FOR PUPILS TO ENGAGE IN UNSTRUCTURED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HELD
 OUTSIDE IF REASONABLE.
   2. EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHALL EITHER:
   (A) SCHEDULE A REASONABLE TIME OF NO LESS THAN THIRTY MINUTES FOR EACH
 FULL DAY PUPIL ATTENDING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE FIVE TO  PARTICIPATE
 IN RECESS; OR
   (B) SCHEDULE TWO REASONABLE TIMES OF NO LESS THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES EACH
 FOR  EACH  FULL  DAY  PUPIL ATTENDING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE FIVE TO
 PARTICIPATE IN RECESS.
   (C) SUCH TIME SHALL NOT ALSO BE USED AS A SCHEDULED  TIME  TO  CONSUME
 LUNCH  AS  REQUIRED BY SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTEEN OF THIS ARTICLE OR
 AS A SCHEDULED TIME FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION AS OUTLINED BY SECTION  EIGHT
 HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 become a law and shall apply to school years commencing on and after the
 first of July next succeeding such effective date.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10752-01-3



              

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Stefanie_Juell
1 year ago

The benefits of unstructured outdoor play time for absolutely indisputable. Recess allows kids to be kids. It allows for social development, exercise, psychological health, freedom, a break from pressure to perform and, most important, joy! What is the point of life if not to experience joy? Please. Let’s not turn our children’s childhoods into workdays. There is plenty of that to come. Let’s let kids be outside playing freely to combat the severe mental and physical health problems facing our kids. Thirty minutes is a great start but we should be giving kids an hour of recess and an hour of lunch. Not 20 minutes of each. These days are too jam-packed for our little ones. Playing is HOW kids learn. It’s how they were meant to learn. Sitting at a desk is not how humans were meant to learn. Please see Peter Gray, PhD for more info on the importance of free play and choice.

Anonymous
9 months ago

Possibly ADD that recess shouldn't be withheld under any circumstance. ex: punishment or to make room for other academics.

tmontgomery668
8 months ago

what's the difference between my full week work load and my 9 year old daughters? she's a minor. let her be a kid for as long she can before this crazy world consumes her like it does us.

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