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., and laws requiring physical activity exist in 12 states, according to Johns Hopkins research.

Zoom in: Lawmakers in Oregon attempted to pass a law mandating recess last year, but the bill never made it out of committee.

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.

• And more physical activity could help academic performance.

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.

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.

• They're seeing more ads on screens and often using digital wallets to buy things without parental interference, PwC's Kelly Pedersen tells Axios.

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.

🏘️ Oregon has spent roughly $1.4 billion on affordable housing over the last five years, but a rare public records exemption has kept the details of how that money is spent shielded from public scrutiny. (ProPublica)

⚖️ Backers of a failed Portland ballot measure that would have used city climate funds to pay for hiring more police are suing city, county and state elections officials over what they allege was a botched signature validation process. (Willamette Week)

Police say a man took his own life Saturday after killing five people in Forest Grove. Officials said the killings were not random and the victims knew the assailant, but released few other details. (The Oregonian)

🚗 Budget cuts at the transportation department could hurt Oregon's ability to respond to extreme weather events like wildfires and landslides unless lawmakers can find new revenue sources for the chronically-underfunded agency. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

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.

• A statewide bell-to-bell ban on cell phones in Oregon went into effect at the beginning of the year.
• Nearly 5,000 schools, including some in Portland, use lockable phone pouches, according to the study.

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