SC School Breakfast Program Second In Nation

South Carolina students in the school breakfast program last year had 101% participation, ranking it second in the nation, according to a report by the Food Research and Action Center.  That group puts out a scorecard every year with data for all states.  It also highlights successful strategies used by different free breakfast programs.

The School Breakfast Scorecard 2007 says 59.2% of students partcipated in the school lunch and school breakfast last year.  New Mexico was number one.

The FRAC singled out South Carolina for promoting the benefits of eating a good breakfast.  State Superintendent Jim Rex said, “Many studies have shown the link between breakfast and health and learning,  We know that breakfast improves nutrition, prevents obesity, increases students’ achievement and reduces school discipline problems.  But for some children, a hot breakfast every morning is difficult to come by.  By providing hot nutritious meals at school, we are helping students to develop good eating habits and to ensure their academic success.”

All public schools in South Carolina participate in the federally funded School Breakfast Program which has been required by state law since the 1993-94 school year.  Each year, the program serves nearly 37 million breakfasts. On average, about 222,500 students participate in the program each day. Although the program is available for all students, eighty-four percent of the breakfasts were served free or at a reduced price.

According to FRAC, persistent poverty, stagnating wages, and skyrocketing food, energy, health, and housing costs cause many families to struggle to provide a healthy and filling morning meal for their children. These problems are compounded by long commutes and nontraditional hours for low-wage workers. As a result, many children miss out on breakfast.

The United States Department of Agriculture, through its Food and Nutrition Service, administers the School Breakfast Program at the federal level. At the state level, the program typically is administered by state education agencies.  Any public school, nonprofit private school or residential child care institution can participate in the School Breakfast Program, also administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. Any student attending a school that offers the program can eat breakfast.  The amount that the school is reimbursed depends on the student’s family income.