Associations Between School‐Based Recess Interventions and Student Chronic Absenteeism in Low‐Income California Schools

Background Recess‐based interventions promote physical activity, socioemotional development, and positive school climates and may also influence attendance, but remain understudied. We examined the association between exposure to recess‐based interventions through the nonprofit Playworks and chronic absenteeism in low‐income California elementary schools. Methods Observational study including 4361 Title I schools from 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024, with 384 Playworks‐exposed schools (85 high‐dose program exposure, 299 low‐dose program exposure). Adjusted regression models estimated differences in the proportion of chronically absent students, overall and by student race and ethnicity, between Playworks‐exposed and nonexposed schools. Results Playworks‐exposed schools had a 0.6% (95% CI, −1.1 to −0.1) lower proportion of chronic absenteeism than nonexposed schools, with notable differences among Hispanic students (−1.95%; 95% CI, −3.7 to −0.5). Schools with high‐dose Playworks demonstrated statistically significantly lower chronic absenteeism than nonexposed schools (24.6% vs. 26.4%; 95% CI, −2.7 to −0.7). Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity Recess‐based programs like Playworks may support school attendance, with potential to address disparities for students most impacted by chronic absenteeism. Districts might consider incorporating recess programs into multi‐tiered attendance strategies. Conclusions Playworks exposure, especially at high doses, is associated with lower chronic absenteeism in low‐income elementary schools, especially among Hispanic students.