Educators and physicians alike have talked for years about how children learn better when properly nourished.
A new report takes a look inside schools to see how school breakfast programs are serving low-income students. The Food Research and Action Center releases the School Breakfast Scorecard each year.
Debra Susie, executive director for Florida Impact, part of the Florida Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, said schools with the most success at providing breakfast to students are thinking outside of the cafeteria.
"There are ways that we can do that creatively and effectively, and they have to do with looking at breakfast relative to alternative venues or at alternative times."
Some schools are offering breakfast as students get off the bus, or after first period when more students might be interested in eating.
In Florida, all public elementary schools are required to implement a school breakfast program. In schools where 80 percent or more students receive free or reduced meals, all students are required to receive free meals to eliminate any kind of stigma attached to needing assistance.
Crystal FitzSimons, director of school and out-of-school time programs for the Food Research and Action Center, said schools benefit by involving more eligible students.
"One of the best ways to run a more cost-effective program is actually to increase participation,because then schools are able to benefit from the economies of scale that that creates."
Nationally, 10.5 million low-income children participate in the School Breakfast Program every day. Studies have shown students who are not hungry at school test better in math and reading skills.
- Florida News Connection
