Written by Paige Eisemann, Photos by Rachel Bush
Clarksville, TN – A group of parents of Clarksville Montgomery County Schools’ students are working together to positively impact the educational experience of all children throughout the state of Tennessee. Since meeting as parents of children in the Spanish Immersion program at Barksdale Elementary School in 2022, Rachel Bush, Morgan Garner, and Kathryn Thurman have promoted the cause through the advocacy group Say YES to Recess Tennessee, which is now known as “The Recess Moms”.
The Tennessee Board of Education currently requires elementary school-age students to have at least one 15-minute period of physical activity per day and 130 minutes per full school week. Middle and high school students must have a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per full school week. The first steps toward positive impact came in July 2024, after a successful negotiation with CMCSS the school system increased recess time from 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
This collaborative effort was constructed by engaged parent volunteers (including “The Recess Moms”) and district administrators. All three “Recess Moms” shared that CMCSS admin and educators were helpful, cooperative, and understanding throughout the process. They also noted that they understand that school districts and individual schools must navigate a plethora of demands to remain in compliance, but all the district leadership that they collaborated with demonstrated the importance of doing what was best for the children of our community.
CMCSS leadership states, “Although the state and federal requirements and academic expectations for each school are consistent, each school’s schedule is unique. School administration worked with their leadership teams and educators to make modifications to existing schedules to increase recess time while still adhering to curriculum and service requirements such as RTI, high-dosage tutoring, state-required teacher planning time, special education services, arts, literacy blocks, etc.”.
“The Recess Moms” are currently focused on elementary school children’s access to recess, but see this only as a starting point. They plan to work towards advocating for an increase for middle and high school students as well. The group points to problematic issues with the current requirements, advocating instead for a new law that would require two 30-minute periods for elementary school students — one in the morning and the other in the afternoon — and at least one 30-minute break for middle school students.
“If adults can be given time to rest and recharge during their workday, why aren’t we providing the same for our children, who spend between 6.5 – 7 hrs a day in school?” the group said in a press release.
Within our own state, more and more parents like The Recess Moms are advocating for increased recess times for their children. As recently as November 2024, a group of parents went before the Williamson County School Board asking for changes to their children’s schedules to allow for more physical activity time. Parents in Grainger County are concerned that their children’s schools are breaking state law by not allowing ample time for physical activity.
Say YES to Recess Tennessee has become the hub for parents across the state to collaborate and share resources for advocacy. The movement reaches far beyond the borders of Tennessee, as well. Groups in Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, District of Columbia, and others are now speaking out and campaigning on behalf of recess time within their own communities.
CMCSS is becoming a leader in providing for the physical activity needs of students through their continued efforts to increase recess time and focus on the importance of physical activity. All elementary schools work to be in accordance with CMCSS’ Coordinated School Health policy and guidelines, which state that “Teachers and other school and community personnel will not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, push-ups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as punishment.
If a parent/guardian is aware of this policy being violated, they should contact their child’s teacher or school administration.” The Recess Moms also support the preservation of recess time even on bad weather days, which they request that school leaders consider and collaborate to improve as well. Rather than students being sedentary and spending time on their laptops, they recommend finding ways for children to move and learn through both large and small motor movement even when indoor recess is required. They recognize that this can mean providing classroom teachers with space, equipment, and more to bring to fruition.
The largest step toward progress happened very recently, with the introduction of Tennessee House Bill 85. Sponsored by Representative Scott Cepicky, of TN District 54, this bill as introduced, seeks to amend TN Code Annotated Title 49. The bill seeks to increase required physical activity time from 130 minutes per full school week to 60 minutes per school day, the minimum amount of physical activity required for elementary school students; establishes additional requirements for the minimum amount of physical activity required for elementary school students. If passed, this could be a monumental victory for the children of Tennessee.
Research shows that increased physical activity positively impacts multiple areas of child development. “Study after study after study shows that if you add in play and you add in social development, it increases soft skills,” Morgan Garner with Say YES to Recess said. “It helps with anxiety and depression. It helps with obesity, it helps with everything.” Rachel Bush said their initiative has faced pushback by concerns over cutting into math and reading time in the classroom. The Moms pointed to several studies, which suggested more recess time would only improve math and reading scores.
“We’re not talking about cutting math and reading in half, but really just looking at shaving a little bit here and there to increase recess to then help every other subject in the classroom,” Bush points to research from Fort Worth, TX, stating. “There was a county in Texas that increased their recess to an hour. In the first year after doing that, their math scores went up 10 percent and their reading went up seven percent. It drastically affects everything they’re doing.”
The research backs up their argument, with many schools who have markedly increased physical activity time showing not only improved test scores to measure academic success, but also reports by educators of numerous positive outcomes including children’s increased ability to focus and reduced disciplinary issues overall. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “recess and physical activity are a critical component of a child’s physical and mental development.” The LiiNK project: Center for Healthy Play is a program focused on bridging the gap between academics and the whole child. Sponsored by Texas Christian University, the program conducts ongoing research to develop implementation strategies for PreK-12 schools to impact positive mental and physical health as well as character development in children.
As their message spreads, the Recess Moms work to register their group for non-profit status, build their website, connect with interested parents via their social media pages, and make connections to promote their mission. Say YES to Recess Tennessee continues to grow and partner with other states as the impact of physical activity on childhood development becomes more understood, with Clarksville Montgomery County leading the way.
For more information, follow The Recess Moms on socials @ Say YES to Recess Tennessee. For more information about the LiiNK project, visit https://liinkproject.tcu.edu/
