Beginning in 2027–28, every Pennsylvania elementary building must provide at least 30 minutes of daily recess for K–5 students. On paper, it's one requirement. In practice, those minutes have to come from somewhere — and finding them reshapes the rest of the day.
How does Nova Pathway Partner with Districts?
What Act 20 touches
Master schedules — Blocks across the elementary day may need to move, building by building.
Instructional time — Recess has to fit without compromising required instructional minutes.
Staffing and supervision — More recess time can mean more adults outside, at more points in the day.
Bargaining agreements — Duty assignments and protected time may be affected.
Specials and intervention — The least flexible blocks are often the first to feel the pressure.
Curriculum pacing — Shifted blocks can quietly break pacing guides built for the old day.
Bell times and transportation — Changes to the day can ripple into bus runs and district calendars.
What happens at recess — Thirty minutes needs a plan for behavior, safety, and the transition back to class.
Act 20 Timing
The State Board of Education issued recommendations in May 2026, and implementation guidance is still emerging. Planning early keeps more options open.
Assess. We review your elementary schedules, staffing, and constraints building by building. You come away with a clear picture of what Act 20 will ask of each one.
Build. We design Act 20 schedules with your leadership team and the right stakeholders at the table. The result is a schedule ready for approval — built to work in your buildings, not just on paper.
Sustain. We stay through the year with a project management plan, regular checkpoints, and structured recess and supervision training, so the change holds after launch.
The window is this winter. The law takes effect in 2027–28, but for many districts, next year's schedules are built and approved this winter and spring.
Build for districts of every size
Whether you have one elementary building or ten, the work is shaped around your district: your schedules, your staff, and your agreements. We partner with superintendents, assistant superintendents, curriculum leaders, and building principals.
Why Nova Pathway?
34 years of combined K–12 experience in curriculum, scheduling, and school leadership
One team from the first assessment through the first year of implementation
Plans built for your buildings, your staff, and your contracts
Commonly Asked Questions
We haven't started planning yet. Are we behind?
Not necessarily — but the window for next year's schedules is this winter and spring. Starting now keeps the most options open.
What happens on the 20-minute call?
You tell us where your district is. We'll share what Act 20 is likely to mean for your buildings and what a sustainable plan for next year could look like. There's no obligation.
Email us to schedule a conversation: Kaitlyn Ferraro Kevin Murphy
Do you work with single-building districts?
Yes. The approach scales from one building to many.
Can you work alongside our district office and bargaining partners?
Yes. Schedule changes that affect duty time or bell times need those voices early, and we plan for that from the start.
Is this legal advice?
No. We help you plan and implement. Questions about how the law applies to your district belong with your solicitor, and we'll work alongside that guidance.
What does it cost?
It depends on the number of buildings and the support you need. We're offering founding partner rates to a limited number of districts, and we'll walk through options on the call.