By the start of next year, DeKalb County elementary school students will have more time for recess every day.

Officials with the school district announced the expansion of recess to 30 minutes for all elementary students at a Board of Education meeting on Monday.

The change comes after outrage from parents at the beginning of the school year when the district announced that recess time at some of the district's schools would be reduced to 15 minutes. School officials said the shorter recess periods would ensure that students receive two hours of literacy instruction each day.

In Georgia, state law requires students from kindergarten through fifth grade to have recess every day. The law does not specify how long recess has to be.

After hearing from parents and community members, DeKalb County Schools established a committee to examine how schools use unstructured break time. Based on the meetings, the school district decided that all elementary schools would have a 30-minute recess.

"We recognize the vital role that a healthy balance of physical activity and mental breaks plays in helping students succeed, both in school and in life," Superintendent Devon Horton said in a letter to parents.

Officials say school leaders will receive options to ensure the change to recess fits each school's schedule.

Schools will need to begin the expanded recess time by January 2026.