The School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in more than 78,000 schools and institutions across the nation. It began as a pilot project in 1966 and was made permanent in 1975. The School Breakfast Program operates in the same manner as the National School Lunch Program.
Nutritional Requirements
School breakfasts must provide one-fourth of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories. School breakfasts must meet federal nutrition requirements, but decisions about the specific foods to serve and their preparation are made locally.
Additional USDA Support
Schools participating in the School Breakfast Program may qualify for higher severe need reimbursements if a specified percentage of their lunches are served free or at a reduced price. About 65 percent of the breakfasts served in the School Breakfast Program receive severe need payments.
Texas state law requires districts to participate in the School Breakfast Program if at least ten percent of their students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.1 Quoting the Texas Education Code: "If at least 10 percent of the students enrolled in one or more schools in a school district or enrolled in an open-enrollment charter school are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfasts under the national school breakfast program provided for by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. Section 1773), the governing body of the district or the open-enrollment charter school shall participate in the program and make the benefits of the program available to all eligible students in the schools or school."
To view this excerpt in context of the Texas Education Code, see Chapter 33, subsection 33.901. Follow this link to the statutes page: http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/ed.toc.htm
If your district is already participating in the Child Nutrition Programs (National School Lunch, School Breakfast and/or After School Snack), review your 2007 Schedule A in the Child Nutrition Programs Information Management System (CNPIMS). All campuses that meet the above criteria must be listed and must show participation in the School Breakfast Program. If breakfast is being provided through other campuses or venues, you will need to provide that documented information to TDA to meet the breakfast requirement.
If your district/charter is not currently participating in the Child Nutrition Programs, you must request participation by completing an application packet. This packet is available on our Web site, www.squaremeals.org, under "For Child Nutrition Professionals." For your convenience, here is a direct link to the "Forms" page, where you will find Part 1 of 2 and Part 2 of 2 of the official application: http://squaremeals.org/fn/render/channel/items/0,1249,2348_2438_0_0,00.html
To complete an application, a district must submit all documentation via hard copy to the Food and Nutrition Division, Texas Department of Agriculture, 1700 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, 78701. Your regional education service center child nutrition specialist can assist you with this process.
Schools or districts that have unique concerns about this requirement are invited to submit them in writing to the Food and Nutrition Division. While the state agency does not have the authority to grant waivers, we may be able to help you determine the best way to maintain compliance.
Please direct any questions you may have to squaremeals@agr.state.tx.us, or call toll-free (888) TEX-KIDS.
1 Note: Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEPs) are not required to comply with Chapter 33 of the Texas Education Code, and therefore are exempt from the Texas Breakfast requirement.
