Although some schools still consider recess cuts necessary,
more and more school officials are deciding that recess cuts are not a viable
solution. However, improvements in education still need to be made. If extra
class time is deemed necessary, but that time cannot come from recess cuts, it
will have to come from somewhere else. Some schools have cut physical
education, art, and music programs. In some cases, even history and science are
cut in favor of English and math, which are the two most frequently tested
subjects on standardized tests. However, cutting these classes usually draws at
least as much protest as cutting recess. If no classes can be cut, schools
could increase the length of school day, but this is likely to draw protest as
well.
Instead of focusing on the quantity of class time, schools
could focus on the quality of class time. This would require improved training
for teachers and improved curriculums. Some states have already upped their
requirements for teaching certificates in order to provide a more efficient
education for students. For example, as of 2003, teaching preparation programs
in Washington must adequately
cover pedagogy (teaching methods); Washington
is considering adding a pedagogy assessment to the current basic skills
assessment and subject assessments that teachers must pass in order to be
certified.