A study led by Hannah Thompson, director of the Nutrition Policy Institute, and colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, found that low-income California schools participating in Playworks—a program providing trained staff for recess—experienced lower rates of chronic absenteeism. The findings were featured in an Axios San Diego article published on March 31.
The research is significant because it suggests that structured and engaging recess environments supported by trained staff may help students feel safer and more connected at school. This connection could increase their likelihood of attending regularly. While the study does not claim that recess alone solves absenteeism, it highlights its potential as a component within broader strategies to support student engagement and attendance.
According to the study, schools with Playworks coaches saw chronic absenteeism rates decrease by 1.7 percentage points compared to similar schools without the program. For Latino students specifically, absenteeism dropped by 2 percentage points. However, when schools only received staff training without dedicated personnel for recess activities, no improvement was observed.
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), which supports such research initiatives through public contributions according to its official website, promotes sustainable practices designed to strengthen resilient ecosystems and economic vitality according to the official website. UC ANR utilizes nine research and extension centers representing California’s diverse ecosystems according to the official website and has gained recognition for linking research directly with community needs according to the official website. As part of the University of California system managing Cooperative Extension services according to the official website, UC ANR conducts over 33,800 educational events annually with more than 18,400 volunteers engaged in its programs according to the official website.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources extends university research throughout all 58 counties via educational programs promoting sustainability in agriculture and natural resources. The organization delivers science-based information through workshops and partnerships while mobilizing volunteers and utilizing research centers across California’s communities according to its official website.
Thompson said her team plans further studies examining how new statewide policies on recess may affect student outcomes.
