You can get a lot done in 15 minutes: Make a quick lunch, fold a load of laundry, take a shower. But is it enough time for a 6-year-old to play outside during recess?

Parents in metro Atlanta say no. Amanda Haymore re-enrolled her kids in Cobb County schools recently after living in South Africa, where her youngest son was getting three recesses a day. In Cobb County, she said he gets one 15-minute break.

“I just saw him wither,” Haymore said. “He started acting out at home. He was frustrated and aggressive. It was just such a change.”

Parents in DeKalb noticed similar changes with their children this year, when some schools cut into recess time in favor of more instruction. After parents advocated for about two months for more time, district leaders announced Monday that each of its el

See Full Page