Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for all of us, but for growing children it’s a critical part of physical and educational growth. We all know that hungry kids can’t learn, and that’s why we’re so passionate about breakfast-in-the-classroom—it’s proven to increase participation in the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom are excited to announce we are funding Breakfast in the Classroom grants in Idaho, and the application period is open.
School Breakfast Works
Eating breakfast at school improves academic and behavior outcomes for students. Eating breakfast improves academic performance, health, and behavior; that means better performance on standardized tests, improved concentration and memory, better math scores, better attendance and fewer tardies, as well as fewer behavioral referrals to the front office.
In FRAC’s most recent School Breakfast Scorecard (SY 2015-16) Idaho moved up four spots, from 17 to 13; of the 101,748 Idaho students participating in the NSLP, 60,406 also participate in the SBP.
Why Breakfast in the Classroom?
When you move breakfast from the cafeteria to the classroom make it free (or “universal”) for all students, you remove three common barriers to participation–location/timing, cost, and stigma. Lack of time to eat breakfast, lack of awareness of the availability of breakfast at school, late bus schedules or parent drop-offs, and stigma are just a few reasons participation in SBP lags behind that of the NSLP. Serving breakfast in the classroom after the bell rings, free for all students, is a proven way to dramatically increase those participation numbers.
About the Grant
The Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom grant is now available to schools in Idaho, as well as nine other states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Utah. The Partners for BIC grant is designed to help school districts and schools in high need cover the up-front costs associated with implementing a BIC program. Grant funds can be used to purchase equipment and supplies, provide limited staff support and training, or procure marketing materials and other related expenses.
Eligible schools must meet the following criteria:
- Either 70 percent or more students qualify for free or reduced prices meals, or the school operates community eligibility (CEP) or Provision 2;
- Average daily participation (ADP) in school breakfast is at 50 percent or less;
- Able to serve breakfast in the classroomat no charge to all students after the morning bell;
- Strong stakeholder support from school leadership and staff;
- Three-year commitment to making reasonable efforts to continue the program, and
- Willingness to promote the program through social media and school district communication channels.
Technical Assistance
Ongoing technical assistance is another feature that makes the Partners for BIC grant stand out. Don’t miss our TA Video to learn more about the grant application process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a8TsN6_Z9k&feature=youtu.be
About Us
The Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom are a consortium of national education and nutrition organizations, including the Food & Research Action Center (FRAC), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Foundation, the NEA Foundation, and the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF). The Partners for BIC received a $7.5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to implement BIC in high-need districts in ten additional states, to reach 30,000 additional students.
We hope you’ll take a moment to get to know our local partners:
- Hunger Relief Task Force
- Idaho State Department of Education
- Idaho Education Association
- Idaho School Nutrition Association
Additional Breakfast-in-the-Classroom Resources for Idaho Schools and Districts