Budget Amendment ID: FY2019-S4-260-R1

Redraft EDU 260

Recess

Messrs. Rush, Brady, Tran, Eldridge, Crighton, Cyr and Hinds, Ms. Jehlen, Messrs. Feeney, Welch and Timilty, Ms. L'Italien, Messrs. Montigny, Pacheco, O'Connor and Lesser moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 15 the following section:-

“SECTION 15A.  Section 1G of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting adding the following paragraph:-

As used in this section, the term "free play" shall mean, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, an unstructured environment, but which is supervised by appropriate school personnel or staff. The department shall: (i) survey district policies regarding the time, frequency and structure of recess offered to students in kindergarten to grade 5, inclusive, as well as the extent to which schools are in compliance of receiving 100 minutes of supervised, safe, and unstructured free-play recess each week so that there are at least 20 consecutive minutes of free-play recess per day; and (ii) promulgate guidelines for districts to use when developing policies on recess, including appropriate length of time, frequency and structure for students in kindergarten to grade 5, inclusive; provided, however, that guidelines shall reflect a minimum of 20 consecutive minutes of free play recess per full school day. The department shall issue a report that includes the results of the survey and the promulgated guidelines. The report shall be filed with the joint committee on education and be made available on the department’s website.”; and by inserting after section 61 the following section:-

“SECTION 61A. The department of elementary and secondary education shall issue its first report required under section 1G of chapter 69 of the General Laws, file it with the chairs of the joint committee on education and make it available on the department’s website not later than December 31, 2018.”