Connecticut School Breakfast Participation Jumps

Over 100,000 Connecticut students participated in the national School Breakfast Program (SBP) every day during the 2015-16 school year, and 85% of them did so for free or at a reduced price. Connecticut was among the top-ranked states last year for increasing the percentage of its low-income students participating in the SBP.

Nearly 8,000 more children ate breakfast at school in the 2015-16 school year than the year before. Although that was a 10% rise in participation, only 51% of those eligible for free or reduced-price lunches eat breakfast in school, which places the state among the bottom third of states (33rd).

The rise in student participation came despite the state being near the bottom of states (49th) in terms of the percentage of eligible schools participating in the program.

Source: Food Research & Action Center, 2/14/17, School Breakfast in CT

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