Florida Senate eyeing public school recess reform

Among the education deregulation policies prioritized by Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo during a committee meeting Wednesday is one that may change the way schools offer recess to students.

One part of a trio of bills likely to be considered during the 2024 legislative session would mandate that schools provide 100 minutes of recess over a week rather than the existing mandate of 20 minutes every day.

Sen. Corey Simon, chair of the Education Pre-K committee, said that although districts would still need to see that students receive the full 100 minutes of recess a week, the reform would give greater flexibility to districts. Some, the senator said, provide half-days or have other circumstances that make it difficult to mandate some programs daily.

“[The bill] doesn’t do away with the requirement,” Simon said. “All this does is push it down to the district so that you all can sit down with your superintendent, and you can sit down with your school board, and have that discussion.”