15-118. Recess; requirements; exceptions; definition

A. Each school district and charter school shall provide at least two recess periods during the school day for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three.  From and after August 1, 2019 each school district and charter school shall provide at least two recess periods during the school day for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through five.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, a school that offers a half-day kindergarten program is required to provide at least one recess period during the school day for pupils in that kindergarten program. A school district or a charter school may count a pupil's participation in a physical education course during a school day as one of that day's recess periods required by subsection A of this section.

C. A school district or charter school is not required to extend the school day as part of meeting the requirements of subsection A of this section.

D. This section does not apply to middle schools, junior high schools, high schools, Arizona online instruction or schools in which the lowest grade of instruction offered is grade five.

E. For the purposes of this section, "recess" means a period of time during the regular school day, including time during a scheduled lunch period, during which a pupil is able to engage in physical activity or social interaction with other pupils.