Does your middle school offer recess?

Let’s play! How many middle schools offer recess?

The research is clear that breaks and opportunities for movement are important for developing young adolescents. But where/how to fit it into the busy middle school master schedule? AMLE sought to better understand how schools use recess to provide opportunities for movement and social interaction by conducting a survey of its membership in October 2024.

Survey Overview:

• Respondents: 143 unique schools across eight countries responded to the survey. The schools’ settings comprised 25% rural, 58% suburban, and 17% urban.
• Grade Configurations: The most frequent grade configuration was 6-8 (48%), though a wide range of school types were represented, including PreK-8, 7-8, 6-9, and 7-12.
• School Size: Schools ranged in size from 95 to 1,550 students, with an average population of 611.

The respondents characterized their recess policies as follows: