Bill Text: NJ A2186 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Mandates "breakfast after the bell" program in schools with significant low income population.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-10 - Combined with A679 (ACS) [A2186 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A2186-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman CELESTE M. RILEY
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Mandates "breakfast after the bell" program in schools with significant low income population.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning school breakfast programs and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A public school operated by a school district of the State participating in the federal school breakfast program in which 40 percent or more of the student population consists of students living in low-income families shall establish a "breakfast after the bell" program through the incorporation of school breakfast in the first-period classroom or during the first few minutes of the school day.
b. The Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Department of Education, shall make every effort to assist school districts in establishing the "breakfast after the bell" program to increase the participation rate of students from low-income families in the school breakfast program.
c. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall:
(1) provide guidance and support to school districts in the planning, establishment, implementation, or modification of a "breakfast after the bell" program which would increase the participation of students from low-income families in the school district; and
(2) prepare and issue an annual report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature on the number and percentage of students from low-income families participating in the "breakfast after the bell" program for each school district.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires a public school operated by a school district of the State participating in the federal school breakfast program in which 40 percent or more of the student population consists of students living in low-income families to establish a "breakfast after the bell" program through the incorporation of school breakfast in the first-period classroom or during the first few minutes of the school day. The bill requires the Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to make every effort to assist school districts in establishing the "breakfast after the bell" program to increase the participation rate of students from low-income families in the school breakfast program. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, is also required to prepare and issue an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on the number and percentage of students from low-income families participating in the "breakfast after the bell" program for each school district.
According to Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), the need to provide school breakfast to low-income children is growing. New census data shows that the number of low-income New Jersey children has grown 19 percent in the past five years, which means that more children are likely arriving in the classroom hungry. The ACNJ's third annual New Jersey School Breakfast Report identifies "breakfast after the bell" as an effective and successful approach to significantly boost student participation in the federal school breakfast program. According to the report, if New Jersey schools fed all eligible children, schools would receive an estimated $85 million more in federal funds to feed hungry children.
