Requires public elementary or secondary schools in cities with one million or more persons to provide breakfast and to allow students at the school to eat breakfast in his or her homeroom classroom

BILL NUMBER:S4562

Title of bill

An act to require public elementary or secondary schools in cities having a population of one million or more persons to provide breakfast for students qualifying for free breakfast in the school classrooms or in a location directly adjacent to the classrooms of such schools and to allow each student at the school to eat breakfast in his or her homeroom classroom during the homeroom period

Summary of provisions

Section One of this bill states that notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, every public elementary or secondary school in a city having a population of one million or more persons, shall provide breakfast for students qualifying, for free breakfast in school classrooms or in a location directly adjacent to the classrooms of such schools and allow each student at the school to eat breakfast in his or her homeroom classroom during the homeroom period regardless of whether or not the student is eligible for free breakfast.

Existing law

New law.

Justification

It is widely recognized that a healthy breakfast plays in vital role in boosting student academic performance. Indeed, since 2003. New York City has provided free breakfast to all public school students, regardless of income, generally in their school cafeterias before the school day begins. Since 2007, some City schools have offered free breakfast in the classroom during the first period instead. Nonetheless, thousands of low income New York City public school students are missing out on that free, nutritious breakfast because it is only available if they are able to arrive at school early and consume the meal in the cafeteria. According to the nonprofit Food Research and Action Center's report, "School Breakfast in America's Big Cities: School Year 2010-2011," New York City was the least effective of 23 urban school districts studied at reaching low-income students with school breakfast. Only 33.9% of those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch participated in the free breakfast program.

This Legislation would widen the reach of New York City's free breakfast program by requiring the city's public elementary and secondary schools to provide free breakfast in school classrooms or in a location directly adjacent to them so that students may eat breakfast at their desks during homeroom or first period.

Enacting such legislation would not put an undue burden on New York City's budget. According to the same Food Research and Action Center report, if 70% of those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch had participated in the free breakfast program in 2010-11, New York City would have received 550,954,409 in annual additional federal funds - and 193,785 additional students would have been served breakfast each school day.

In fact, all New York City public school principals currently have the option to provide free breakfast in their classrooms. However, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has declined to mandate that schools do so on the grounds that providing free breakfast in the classroom might increase childhood obesity. Many hunger and nutrition experts discount this concern. Extending free school breakfast to classrooms is enthusiastically supported by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Torn Vilsack among many others. The New York Times Editorial. Board made the case for the policy in its May 6, 2013 editorial, "How to Start a Good School Day." State Legislative action is necessary to ensure that New York City schoolchildren get the good start to their school day that they need and deserve

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

Minimal

Local fiscal implications

Minimal

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.