Charter School Playground Supervision – How Much is Enough?

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There has been much discussion in schools and in courts regarding how many adult supervisors should be on school playgrounds.

Supervisor-to-student ratios consider only the number of students present, which can be misleading because several factors determine adequate playground supervision.

To evaluate adequate supervision on a playground, use an interdisciplinary group. The group may include a playground supervisor, the building administrator, a parent, a teacher, and the safety officer. To determine adequate supervision, conduct an evaluation using the following factors:

  • The number of students (this may be different at different times)
  • The ages of the students (younger children need closer supervision)
  • The mental and physical capabilities of the students, including discipline issues
  • The configuration of the play area, including visibility and size
  • The play equipment used and activities available.
  • The emergency procedures used on the playground
  • The weather conditions

For example, six severely physically disabled students may require three supervisors, while sixty students playing kickball in a field area may only need two supervisors. Establish the minimum number of playground supervisors needed for a facility (or a supervisor-to-student ratio), considering the factors previously noted.

In most cases, because of the size and configuration of many playgrounds and the school’s emergency procedures, at least two adult supervisors should be on duty whenever the playground is used during the school day. However, two supervisors may not be adequate.