Children who come to school hungry because they got up too late to spend time eating breakfast, weren't hungry before leaving home, didn't have an adult to encourage them to eat, or didn't have food in the home find it difficult to stay alert and learn. The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides children with nutritious foods before their school day begins, thus improving their diets and encouraging the learning process. Schools operating the SBP report increases in test scores, decreases in absenteeism, and an overall improvement in student behavior when children eat breakfast.

All students may eat breakfast if the program is offered at their school. Students who qualify for free or reduced price school lunch are eligible for the same benefits in the breakfast program. A school breakfast is designed to satisfy one-quarter of a child's recommended daily dietary needs and must meet the nutritional requirements outlined in the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans." Local schools have information about eligibility and applications to receive these benefits.

These rates are exclusive of State Liquor Tax Funds which will be distributed on a per lunch basis to public schools only.

School Year July 1, 2008 To June 30, 2009	Breakfast	Severe Need Breakfast **
Free	1.40	1.68
Reduced-Price	1.10	1.38
Paid	.25	.25

** Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement (site):

Severe Need eligibility is limited to those schools in which (a) 40 percent or more of the lunches served in those schools were served free or at a reduced price during the second preceding school year and (b) for which the regular breakfast reimbursement is insufficient to cover the costs of the Breakfast Program.