New Jersey’s poorest schools are serving school breakfast to roughly half of their students, according to a new report by Hunger Free New Jersey. These schools account for more than half of all students enrolled in the federally-subsidized school meals program. Yet, in October 2018, just 53 percent received school breakfast on an average day.
More than 137,000 eligible children did not receive breakfast, even though they are already enrolled in the program. That’s mostly because many schools still serve breakfast before school when most students have not yet arrived, rather than offering breakfast after the bell. The report provides participation data for these schools and the amount of federal funds each could claim with improved participation.
