| February 15, 2005
School Breakfasts
Thanks to your efforts the bill on School
Breakfasts was signed today by the Governor. The Public
Act number is P.A. 93-1086!
New law requires more schools to offer
breakfast
By Mary Tallon, The Associated Press
February 15, 2005, 5:46 PM CST
More poor children will be able to eat a free breakfast
at school under legislation signed Tuesday by Gov.
Rod Blagojevich.
Advocates for the poor had pushed for expansion of
the school breakfast program, arguing that studies
show students score better on tests and are more alert
when they eat in the morning.
Under the legislation, schools must offer breakfast
if 40 percent or more of their students qualify for
government-subsidized lunches.
Of the state's 4,200 elementary and secondary schools,
more than 2,200 voluntarily participate in school
nutrition programs and all but 358 offer breakfast
now, said Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman
Becky Watts. Previously, there had been no requirement
for schools to offer breakfast.
"We are extremely delighted that more children, especially
low-income children and children of working families,
will be afforded the possibility of having breakfast
at school,'' said Connie Probst, a community organizer
with the Illinois Hunger Coalition. How much the state's
expanded breakfast program will cost is still unclear
because administrators have 90 days to determine which
schools must participate, Watts said.
School breakfast programs are funded primarily through
federal grants and partially with state dollars.
A sponsor of the legislation said school districts
do not need to worry about additional costs because
they will be reimbursed for any expenses, such as
adjusting bus schedules or lining up cafeteria supervisors.
"It requires them to make some changes, so it requires
work. But the bill as it has been signed ensures that
we're not talking about costs,'' said Sen. Miguel
del Valle, D-Chicago.
Del Valle also said schools can appeal to opt out
of the program if they can show they are not being
reimbursed for all costs.
Copyright (c) 2005, The Associated Press
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