Newark Schools Feed 90 Percent Of Students Breakfast: Study

NEWARK, NJ — The Newark Public School District ranks among the top five in the nation for serving breakfast to its students, according to a report released Thursday.

Newark feeds breakfast to nearly 90 percent of its public school students on any given day during the year, ranking the city 5th in the U.S. among large districts, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).

Read the full report and see its methodology.

The other high-ranking large school districts included:

1. Los Angeles Unified School District (California)
2. San Antonio Independent School District (Texas)
3. Newburgh Enlarged City School District (New York)
4. Boise School District (Idaho)

The FRAC study confirms what many already know, officials say: the Brick City is a trendsetter.

According to Hunger Free New Jersey, nearly all of Newark schools serve breakfast during the regular school day, rather than before school, when most students haven't arrived yet. Known as "breakfast after the bell," this method significantly boosts student participation.

“Newark was one the first New Jersey districts to adopt breakfast after the bell many years ago and has been a leader in nourishing their students for years,” said Adele LaTourette, director of Hunger Free New Jersey.

“We commend the district for recognizing that nutrition and learning are inextricably linked,” LaTourette added. “It's simple. Hungry students struggle to succeed in school.”

“I’m proud of what we have achieved with this distinction and am confident that we will continue to exemplify the tremendous value breakfast has for students every morning to help start their day ready and focused on learning,” Newark Public School Superintendent Roger Leon said.

HUNGRY IN NEW JERSEY

Thursday’s study focusing on large school districts is a companion report to the FRAC's annual School Breakfast Scorecard.

This year, the scorecard shows New Jersey losing a little ground on breakfast participation, while still retaining its 20th place ranking nationally. However, more recent data shows statewide participation on the upswing, thanks to a new law that requires high-poverty districts to serve breakfast after the bell.

According to Hunger Free New Jersey, under the new law, schools with 70 percent or more students eligible for subsidized school meals had to switch to serving breakfast after the bell in September 2019.

“Our preliminary review of the data suggests that the law is having a positive impact, bringing breakfast to more students who need this nutrition at the start of the school day,” LaTourette said.

Despite this progress, roughly 300,000 eligible students were still missing out on this morning meal as of October 2018, Hunger Free New Jersey stated.

Other states that have implemented requirements similar to New Jersey's breakfast mandate have seen participation skyrocket, receiving millions more in federal dollars to fight childhood hunger and ranking as best in the nation.

If New Jersey maximized participation, school districts could collect an additional $74 million in federal funds to feed hungry students, according to a recent Hunger Free New Jersey study.

“We are looking forward to the day when breakfast is readily available to all New Jersey students,”' LaTourette said. “With a federal program that provides funding for school breakfast, there is no reason for any child to start their school day hungry.”

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