We are just re-entering the public school arena after my husband and I have been out for 20 years. We are finding out that so much has changed. So far, my daughter seems to have two recesses during school, one after eating lunch, and the other in the afternoon. I do not know the duration of time for each recess. I personally think recess is vital. Kids need to give their brains a break and exercise is always healthy for the body! She comes home happy and I know she listens well in the classroom and does her work, so that makes us happy.
As far as educational standards, I have been very concerned with how strict things are becoming and how much is expected for these children to learn. I also feel for the teachers as they are required to implement these changes and show success for their classroom. Teachers can often get a bad rap. The teachers I have seen so far are doing a tremendous job!
I have been pleasantly surprised how well our daughter has done. She is doing things that amaze me. She can read me simple stories and just had her first spelling test and received an A+! So, we have decided that we will keep an eye on things as she continues. So far, she is able to handle what she is required to learn. If that changes and she becomes stressed, we will look for options to help her. And if it gets really bad, and options through the school don't work, I'll pull her out and we'll try to homeschool, where we can have one on one learning time. I absolutely will NOT have my children unduly stressed over education. That's what concerns me the most. I have heard of children crying in THIRD grade over their classes and what they have to learn. The standards our educational system are pushing are very concerning and I think elementary aged children are not able to handle that kind of continuing stress.
I would suggest going to the school and voicing your concerns. I'm not sure if each school district determines recess or if that is determined through the state. And when she gets home, let her have some time to run outside and play (which you probably do already). My mom always let us have some time after school to get a snack and to just be kids for a little while before we had to start our homework.