Study: Recess Helps Black, Hispanic Students' Academic Performance

The Huffington Post (5/8, Anderson) reports that according to a new study from Mathematica Policy Research and the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities at Stanford University, "time away from the classroom might be especially beneficial for Black and Latino students." The study indicates that "teachers reported less bullying, better recess behavior and more readiness for classes among students who engaged in recess." The Post discusses the researchers' methodology, adding, "'These new findings, taken together with existing data, tell us that kids better relate with one another, resolve conflicts constructively, get plenty of physical activity on the playground, and return to class more focused and ready to learn,' said Nancy Barrand, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's special advisor for program development."