source: WHYY
Pennsylvania’s public school students in kindergarten through fifth grade will be guaranteed 30 minutes of recess every full school day, after Governor Josh Shapiro signed the legislation Wednesday at North Wales Elementary School in Montgomery County, [according to the governor’s office](https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2026-press-releases/gov, shapiro-and-lt, gov-davis-secure-recess-for-pa-k-5-students).
The requirement takes effect at the start of the 2027-28 school year.
Shapiro signed House Bill 1505 ceremonially alongside Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. It had already been incorporated into the state’s 2026-27 budget earlier this year.
What the Law Requires
WHYY reported that HB 1505 directs the state Board of Education to provide guidance on recess measures aimed at promoting movement, social interaction, and stress management in elementary schools.
Sixth graders attending school in the same building as K-5 students should also receive recess under the state’s recommendations.
The recess period must be play-based, 6abc noted. Schools are encouraged to keep activities screen-free and held outdoors when conditions permit.
North Wales Elementary currently gives students 20 minutes of recess. The school plans to add 10 minutes before the new requirement kicks in.
Shapiro’s Case for the Policy
Recess, Shapiro said, is just as important as academic subjects such as math, English, science, or history.
He described it as essential for building social skills and keeping children active, and framed the initiative as getting back to basics in public education.
Davis added that children need time to exercise, socialize, and simply be kids.
He cited parental concern about screen time and argued that playground time gives children practical skills, including how to collaborate, resolve disagreements, and take turns.
Part of a Larger Education Investment
The recess requirement is one piece of a broader education package.
The 2026-27 budget includes $678 million in additional school funding, bringing total state increases for public education to more than $3 billion since Shapiro took office, a nearly 35 percent rise.
That’s a big number. Total state education funding reaches close to $12 billion under the current budget.
North Penn School District, which includes North Wales Elementary, receives $28.2 million in state funding this year.
That figure is $6.04 million, or 27.3 percent, higher than when Shapiro’s administration began. The district’s graduation rate reached over 95 percent in the 2024-25 school year.
Health Backdrop
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily for children and adolescents, and identifies schools as well-positioned to help students meet that target.
Kids are falling short. Regular physical activity is linked to improved classroom focus, academic performance, and long-term well-being.
For Northeast Philadelphia families with children in public elementary schools, the change means a guaranteed daily break from instruction will be written into state law rather than left to individual district discretion.