(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – The percentage of children in Kentucky who participate in the school breakfast program is higher than the national average, even though schools in the state are not required to offer the program.
This data comes from the Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) State of the States 2007, A Profile of Food & Nutrition Programs across the Nation, released last week.
FRAC compared the number of low-income students who participate in the school breakfast program to the number of low-income children who participate in the school lunch program. Nationally, 44.6 low-income children ate breakfast for every 100 low-income children who ate lunch. In Kentucky, that figure is 56.2, ranking the state at fourth among the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Of the three states that have a higher ranking (South Carolina at 57.2; New Mexico at 57.9; and West Virginia at 58.5), South Carolina and West Virginia have passed state laws that require schools with a minimum number of low-income students to offer the breakfast program.
“Although Kentucky does not require schools to offer the program, most of the state’s public schools offer breakfast, with only eight schools opting not to offer in the 2006-07 school year,” said Paul McElwain, director of the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Nutrition and Health Services. “They do that because they understand the benefits, not because they have to offer it.”
According to the FRAC report,participation in the breakfast program in Kentucky continues to grow.
· In 2002-03, 193,819 students participated in the breakfast program, correlating to 53.9 of every 100 low-income students who participated in the lunch program.
· In 2003-04, 205,330 students participated in the breakfast program, correlating to 54.8 of every 100 low-income students who participated in the lunch program.
· In 2004-05, 212,748 students participated in the breakfast program, correlating to 55.4 of every 100 low-income students who participated in the lunch program.
· In 2005-06, 222,562 students participated in the breakfast program, correlating to 56.2 of every 100 low-income students who participated in the lunch program.
Compiled annually, FRAC’s State of the States provides a comprehensive snapshot of hunger, poverty and use of federal nutrition programs nationally and in each state. The report includes detailed information on the extent of hunger, participation in eight federal nutrition programs and economic data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. FRAC is the leading national organization working for more effective public and private policies to eradicate domestic hunger and undernutrition.
The entire report is available here.
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