ACSA has joined a strong coalition of sponsors, led by California Food Policy Advocates, that is working to make BreakfastFirst a success. The campaign aims to strengthen school breakfast programs by offering in-class and “second chance” meals available to elementary and high school students.
There is a growing body of research linking a nutritious school breakfast with improved concentration, learning and academic achievement. ACSA also understands that a nutritious breakfast is important for obesity prevention, the development of good nutrition habits and positive health outcomes.
“Improving breakfast programs is a win-win for all,” said Ellen Braff-Guajardos, senior nutrition policy advocate for California Food Policy Advocates. “Hunger is a reality in California. Hungry kids can’t learn. It’s hard to concentrate on your studies while your stomach or head are aching from hunger.”
Millions of reimbursement dollars for USDA federal meals are being left on the table because of the low participation rate in school breakfast programs. According to the California Department of Education, more than 2 million eligible students do not participate. Last year, California public schools lost $300 million in unclaimed federal meal reimbursements due to low breakfast participation.
On the BreakfastFirst website at www.BreakfastFirst.org, there is a database showing, by district, the percentage of free and reduced eligible kids not participating in school breakfast and the amount of each district’s lost dollars.
San Diego Unified School District has piloted BreakfastFirst in 46 schools serving breakfast in the classroom at the start of each day.
The program was established in 2006 at a handful of San Diego campuses where virtually all students qualify for subsidized meals. The district’s Food Services Department received $35.7 million in federal subsidies in 2008-09. The department is autonomous and does not dip into the district’s general fund.
A few other districts in the state and nation offer similar programs. Experts say commitment from school leaders is crucial.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell serves as the honorary chair of the BreakfastFirst campaign. He points out that moving breakfast into the classroom enables schools to serve nearly 100 percent of students. Serving breakfast in the elementary classroom maximizes the benefits of breakfast for students and schools.
The breakfast session can also be used as a learning time to instruct on nutrition or other pertinent lessons.
In addition, at the secondary school level, breakfast carts are made available during recess or snack breaks. Transportation or family issues often result in students arriving at school with barely enough time to make it to class. Second chance breakfasts benefits these students.
Additional sponsors of the BreakfastFirst Campaign include the United States Department of Agriculture, Western Region, California School Boards Association, California School Nurses Organization, California School Nutrition Association, California State PTA and California Teachers Association.
School administrators can help with the BreakfastFirst campaign by:
• Learning more about school breakfast participation in their districts by visiting the “Your District’s Data” section at www.BreakfastFirst.org, then meeting with their districts food/nutrition services director and financial officer.
• Exploring effective school breakfast models, such as classroom breakfast and second chance breakfast. Videos, fact sheets, case studies, best practices and other resources on such programs are available at www.BreakfastFirst.org.
• Engaging members of their school community in efforts to put breakfast first, including developing school breakfast solutions with the school board, teachers, parents, students, food services personnel, custodial staff, school nurses and other community stakeholders.
• Signing up for updates, accessing resources and submitting questions at www.BreakfastFirst.org
Click here to download a flier that outlines the facts and benefits of BreakfastFirst.