After decades of diminished recess time, nearly half of U.S. states now require it or other physical activity by law.

Why it matters: Yes, recess is literally child's play. But researchers, pediatricians and parents say it's crucial for young students' physical and mental health.

By the numbers: As of December, school recess is mandated in 12 states and D.C. — including Arkansas — and laws requiring physical activity exist in 12 states, according to Johns Hopkins research.

Between the lines: "Physical activity" laws are broader than "recess" ones.

• They could include after-school sports and gym class. And, separately, nearly every state has P.E. legislation.
• But physical activity and P.E. laws don't necessarily require free play, which advocates say is a daily necessity for kids.

The big picture: Unstructured play doesn't just teach social skills, but research connects it to increased classroom motivation and behavior, better school attendance, and less stress for students.

What they're saying: "Recess gives you a better feeling about school. Recess refreshes you. Recess helps you feel a little bit less cynical about what's going on," psychologist Peter Gray, author of forthcoming "Restoring Childhood," tells Axios.

• "Anyone who's ever spent even a day with a kid can recognize that if you kept them sitting all day, they'd go insane, they'd drive everybody else insane," says Hannah Thompson, a physical activity epidemiologist with UC Berkeley's Nutrition Policy Institute.
• Although schools don't tend to fight the idea of recess itself, Thompson says it can be a challenge for administrators to carve out more time for it and ensure it's not withheld as punishment.

Catch up quick: From 2001 to 2019, weekly recess time in U.S. schools dropped by 60 minutes, education consulting company EAB found.

• One oft-cited factor for the decline: The signing of "No Child Left Behind" in 2002, which led to more time focused on reading, math and school testing — and less on recess.

The high-end, AI-powered private school Alpha Schools plans to grow from a dozen to roughly 50 campuses in the 2026 school year, its founder tells Axios.

Why it matters: While traditional schools navigate how to adopt AI, Alpha Schools has created an AI-dependent classroom model that the company claims reduces screen time and increases human interaction.

• Tuition costs $45,000 to $75,000 a year.

State of play: This school year, Alpha plans to open campuses in 27 markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Nashville and Raleigh.

• Alpha's dozen locations include several campuses in California, Texas and Florida.

How it works: Students spend no more than two hours a day on AI software to learn core subjects, says MacKenzie Price, co-founder and CEO of Alpha Schools.

• They spend the rest of the day developing life skills in workshops. (For example, students have organized a music festival for a nonprofit.)
• Instead of licensed teachers conducting lessons, Alpha Schools hires "guides" whose jobs are to motivate and coach students. They're paid at least $100,000 a year.

The big picture: Many public schools have been slow to put clear guardrails around AI.

• Just 18% of teachers in public K-12 schools in a recent Gallup study said they've received formal guidance from school administrators on how to use AI.
• Meanwhile, parents are balancing whether letting their children use AI strengthens digital literacy or results in cognitive decline. The research is limited.

Friction point: Penn State professor Gerald LeTendre says his concern with AI education models is that they risk conflating teaching and tutoring.

• "AI tutoring can help, but it has to be within an atmosphere where there's deep human contact with a highly qualified teacher," he adds.
• He argues helping teachers become proficient in AI is a more promising strategy than replacing them.

🎵 Fayetteville planning commissioners approved live music at the Washington County Fairgrounds up to 10 times a year, with limits on hours, noise, attendance and speaker placement. (Fayetteville Flyer)

🛩️ Swarm Aero of California received $10 million in U.S. Air Force contracts to develop high-rate drone manufacturing technology and produce aircraft components — work expected to add jobs at its Fayetteville facility. (Northwest Arkansas Business Journal)

🔥 Benton and Washington counties issued burn bans yesterday as dry weather and near-100-degree temperatures raised wildfire risks. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

U.S. families expect to spend nearly $1,000 on average on back-to-school shopping this year, according to a PwC survey.

• Nearly half expect to spend more than they did last year.

State of play: Families in the Northeast, West and Midwest plan to outspend the national average of $922 — which includes clothes, tech, equipment for after-school activities, books, school supplies and other one-time purchases.

What's happening: Prices are higher, classroom needs have changed and kids have more say over what families buy — including requests for pricier items.

The big picture: Total K-12 back-to-school spending could climb around 10% this year compared to last, hitting a record $43.3 billion, the National Retail Federation forecasts.

Reality check: The spending doesn't stop once school starts.

• Households nationwide plan to spend $635 a month on recurring expenses like meals, snacks and tutoring, per PwC.

Schools across the U.S. are cracking down on student cellphone use, but a new study finds the restrictions bring mixed results.

The big picture: Schools that require students to lock away their phones during class have seen phone use decline substantially, according to the study shared by the National Bureau of Economic Research in April.

• Student well-being also appears to improve the longer the rules remain in place.

Yes, but: "For academic achievement, average effects on test scores are consistently close to zero," the researchers wrote.

• And they found "little evidence" those policies affect attendance, attention in class or perceived online bullying.

By the numbers: As of this year, roughly two-thirds of states have enacted legislation limiting student phone access, per the study.

• Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed Arkansas' Bell to Bell, No Cell Act in February 2025.

The bottom line: Cellphone bans may still benefit students — even if they don't directly translate into higher test scores.