What a full-time Recess week includes
| Piece | What it is |
|---|---|
| Morning learning pod | Core academics every school morning: math, English, science, and history, taught live with the same small group and the same Recess adult, with mastery criteria for each unit |
| Studio | Structured independent practice between live sessions, with tutoring support when a student gets stuck |
| Community hour | A supervised daily block, 12 to 1 PM Pacific, for games, conversation, and the wider Recess community |
| Electives and challenges | Three live electives, each meeting weekly, plus project challenges that stack into a portfolio and a year-end capstone |
The school week runs Monday through Friday, roughly 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific, and families pick electives at times that fit their week. The 2026-27 year is 180 instructional days. The full breakdown of the day, the calendar, and transcripts is in Is Recess a full school day?, plus academics and a school day at Recess.
For a student who needs sustained one-on-one help in one subject, 1:1 instruction is available as an add-on. Parents get weekly progress reviews, recap emails, and progress reports.
What the MAP results show
Recess students take NWEA MAP Growth, the same assessment many public and private schools use. For all Recess students tested in the 2025-26 school year, the school reports:
- A median of the 89th percentile in math and the 91st percentile in reading.
- A comparison of grade-level average math and reading scores with NWEA's 2025 school achievement norms that places Recess in the top 1% of U.S. schools on MAP achievement.
These are Recess's own numbers for its tested students, and a median is not a promise about any one child. The exact footnote is on recess.gg/school.
Where enrichment classes still fit
Recess still offers enrichment-style classes. Full-time students take electives as part of the school day, and families enrolled at another school can sign up for classes on their own. The full-time program is the one that replaces school.
Who usually finds Recess worth it
- Kids who need a different pace or setting, including ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, autism, and gifted or twice-exceptional learners. Recess has pages for ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, autism, and gifted students.
- Athletes and traveling families who need school to fit around training or travel. See athletes.
- Builders who want projects, mentors, and a portfolio alongside core classes. See builders.
Best for: Families who want live teachers, a stable peer group, and project work inside one online school day. Tradeoff: Grades 2-10 only, and Recess is a paid private school. ESA awards and aid bring the out-of-pocket cost down, and many ESA families pay $0. The price is on the tuition page.
Who should start with a different school
- Families who need a tuition-free public virtual school and a public diploma path in their state. Connections Academy, K12-powered public schools, and Arizona options like ASU Prep Digital are the usual places to start. See Recess vs K12, Connections Academy, and Stride.
- Kids in kindergarten, 1st grade, 11th grade, or 12th grade. Recess admits grades 2 through 10.
- Families who want a fully self-paced day with little live time. Live classes happen at scheduled times, starting with the same pod every morning.
How enrollment changes the answer
Arizona families enroll in the Recess school itself. In other states, your child enrolls through an accredited partner school in the Recess school network, which issues transcripts, or joins Recess's online learning program, where your state's homeschool requirements stay with you. Recess is a member of Cognia and is independently pursuing Cognia accreditation. The paths are spelled out on how enrollment works.
Your state award counts toward tuition first, and Recess works with you to bring the out-of-pocket cost down. Many families pay $0. Aid is simple for qualifying households. You apply to your state's ESA program yourself. Start with ESA funding by state and admissions.