Melanie Tarver

Statement in Support of HB 1507 Legislation to Increase Recess in Elementary Schools Chair and Members of the Committee, My name is Melanie Tarver, and I am here today in strong support of this bill to increase recess time for elementary school students in New Hampshire. I come before you not only as an advocate, but as a parent. Last spring, my seven-year-old son asked me a simple question: “Will you ask the principal if we can have more recess?” At first, I brushed it off. I assumed the school day was carefully structured by experts, and that recess—while enjoyable—was a secondary concern. But that question stayed with me. I began to ask what recess actually looks like for today’s children, how much time they are given to move, play, and reset, and whether our policies reflect what we know about child development. What I learned is that, in many cases, they do not. Over the last several decades, particularly since the 1990s and the implementation of No Child Left Behind, schools have steadily reduced recess in favor of increased “seat time” and test preparation. The assumption has been simple: more instructional minutes lead to better academic outcomes. But research now clearly shows that this assumption is flawed. We know that young children have limited attention spans—often 10 to 15 minutes for early elementary students. Even adults struggle to focus for more than 20 to 30 minutes without breaks. Yet many elementary school children are asked to sit through extended instructional blocks that exceed what is developmentally appropriate. In some cases, they are being asked to sustain focus longer than we expect of ourselves in the workplace. The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that daily recess is essential to children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. Through unstructured play, children learn communication, cooperation, negotiation, problem-solving, perseverance, and self-control—skills that are foundational for lifelong success. The AAP recommends at least one hour of physical activity during the school day. Research from Dr. Debbie Rhea and the Liink Project at Texas Christian University demonstrates that increasing recess does not undermine academic performance—it improves it. Schools implementing one hour of daily recess saw a 40% reduction in off-task behavior, a 70% reduction in chronic stress and anxiety, and measurable gains in academic outcomes, including higher math and reading scores. In other words, less seat time paired with more recess led to better learning. Recess primes the brain for instruction. It is not time lost—it is time invested. Children learn math, science, language, and social reasoning through play. Recess is where academic concepts become lived experience. It is also important to distinguish recess from physical education. Both are vital, but they serve different purposes. PE focuses on structured skill-building, fitness, and instruction. Recess provides unstructured time for emotional regulation, conflict resolution, creativity, and autonomy. One cannot replace the other; children need both. At the same time, we are seeing rising rates of anxiety, stress, and ADHD diagnoses among children. Families are often faced with difficult decisions about medication in order for children to cope with a school day that research shows is frequently developmentally inappropriate. We must ask ourselves whether the structure of the day—not the child—is the problem. Many countries and high-performing school systems around the world organize the school day around shorter instructional blocks and frequent breaks, with play making up a significant portion of the day. Even here at home, many private schools already provide multiple daily recess periods totaling an hour or more. The challenge is that our current system does not incentivize school leaders to act on this evidence. Administrators are under pressure to raise test scores, and without legislative guidance, reducing instructional minutes can feel like a professional risk. That is why leadership at the state level is essential. We know change is possible. Tennessee recently passed legislation mandating 40 minutes of daily recess for elementary students—one of the most progressive recess policies in the country. Inspired by this success, I started the Texas chapter of Say Yes to Recess. If New Hampshire passes HB1507 it would pave the way for similar manatees in other states. I am a proud supporter of public education. Supporting this bill is not a criticism of our schools—it is an investment in making them stronger. This legislation recognizes that children are not test scores, and that learning is not measured solely by time spent in a chair. Increasing recess is a practical, evidence-based, and cost-effective step toward healthier, more successful students. It prioritizes quality over quantity, well-being alongside achievement, and development alongside data. I urge you to support this bill and help ensure that our schools reflect what we know to be true about how children learn best. Thank you for your time and consideration. Melanie Tarver Texas@sayyestorecess.com