The free-breakfast program in the District’s public schools reaches less than half of eligible low-income children, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a national organization.

Yet kids go hungry in District schools every day.

Studies show that children who have a good breakfast do better in school on math and reading tests. They are better behaved. They also are more likely to be healthy than children who eat junk food or don’t have breakfast at all.

Every child in a District public school is eligible for a free breakfast regardless of income, said Srinidhi Vijaykumar, a child nutrition expert at DC Hunger Solutions.

So why don’t more families take part in the program?

“Parent schedules, school bus schedules, peer pressure, and lack of awareness” all play a part, Vijaykumar said.

School breakfasts are served before school starts in almost all D.C. schools, and some adult work schedules or school bus schedules don’t allow the kids to get there in time, she said. Participation in the lunch program is much higher.

And both the school and the parents must make an effort for a program to succeed.

With “anemic” participation at many schools, low participation is a particularly critical problem for children who are homeless, Vijaykumar said.

Out of the 23 big-city school systems studied by the Food Research and Action Center last year, the District landed in the bottom half with a 47% participation rate for its free breakfast program.

Public schools in Newark, N.J., had 93.7% of their low-income and homeless students eating a healthy school breakfast. At the very bottom of the barrel was Chicago, with only 28.7% participation.

In D.C., parents must register for the free breakfast program. Although registering is important for school funding, there is a simplified form for homeless parents and homeless children can even eat without a form. Families that get food stamps or temporary assistance are also automatically eligible.

Mom LaTonya Campbell likes the school breakfast program. “I knew to ask about it,” she said.

She and her family are formerly homeless and live with relatives. Son James, 7, is in kindergarten at J.O. Wilson in Northeast.

“They serve a good amount” at breakfast, Campbell said.

James, who likes school and has good handwriting, said the food was fine, but “they don’t give you enough to eat at lunch.”

“The school sent the information and forms home, no problem,” Tisha said, adding that the program “works pretty well.” Her daughter also gets lunch at no cost, but “is still always hungry when she gets home.”

“Some D.C. schools are better organized than others. Some have programs set up with enough staff and they attend to the paperwork. Others do not, and the parents may not know about the breakfasts,” a former public schools employee said.

Successful programs nationwide have come up with creative solutions, letting students eat breakfast in the classroom while teachers take attendance or offering “grab and go” breakfasts in paper bags that students can eat later in the morning.

Students are more apt to think grab-and-go breakfasts are cool and there’s less stigma to free food if everybody’s eating it. Some schools even put breakfast carts in the hallways.

School breakfasts need to be part of the regular school routine to work, Vijaykumar emphasized.

Friendship Public Charter School, the only school in D.C. with in-classroom breakfasts, saw participation increase from 32% to 60% with the new program.

DC Hunger Solutions is working with new school Chancellor Michelle Rhee, the school system’s Food and Nutrition Office, the program for homeless children at the Office of Education (OSSE), and individual schools to turn things around.

“We are taking a collaborative approach and getting good results,” she said. She hopes some schools will start the flexible breakfast programs next fall.

If you would like to help hungry kids or give a boost to your local school, DC Hunger Solutions can help you get started. Call Srinidhi at (202) 986-2200 x3023.

April 30, 2008