According to the national School Breakfast Scorecard, released today by the Food Research & Action Center, 26,170 low-income children in Hawaiʻi participated in the national School Breakfast Program on an average school day in 2017-2018, a 5 percent decrease from the previous year.

There are alternative breakfast models that are in widespread use in other states and have been successful at moving the needle on school breakfast participation. Many move after the first bell or offer grab-and-go meals, to overcome late bus arrivals and other reasons that children and teenagers get to school too late to sit down for breakfast in the cafeteria before class.

“All of our keiki deserve a good education that opens up opportunities for the rest of their lives, and school breakfast is an important tool that can help our students succeed,” said Nicole Woo, senior policy analyst at Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice.  “Some schools in our state have found new, successful ways to serve breakfast to their students, ensuring that they start the school day ready to learn. We strongly encourage other schools to follow their lead so that more of our children can benefit.”