Policy change won't affect free school breakfasts

Though a pending rule change appears to put an end to free breakfast next year in most Highlands County Schools, the district's food service director maintains that breakfast will continue to be available to all students at no charge.

At Tuesday's school board meeting, School Board Attorney John McClure said Rule 8.45 concerning the School Breakfast Program deletes the requirement to provide breakfast for middle and high schools; you still have to do it for elementary.

The school board approved moving forward on the process to change the rule.

But the proposed breakfast rule also states: beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, a breakfast meal will be provided for each student, at no cost to the student or parent, at any school in which 80 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

So according to the proposed policy it would appear that students at Fred Wild and Lake Country elementary schools, with free or reduced eligibility at 87 percent and 81 percent respectively, would be the only schools serving up a free breakfast next year to every student.

Speaking about the pending policy change, Food Service Director Martha Brown said Wednesday "we are going to try and get that taken away."

A consultant group that provides the district with advice on policies recommended the change, she said.

The school board frequently approves modifications or updates to it policies to reflect changes in state law.

Currently state law requires breakfast at the elementary level. Middle and high schools were going to be added this year, but that has been delayed due to the tough economic situation school districts are facing, Brown said.

So what's the bottom line? Will every student get a free breakfast next year?

"Absolutely," Brown replied. Federal funding has been approved for the next four years.

"We currently offer 'breakfast in the classroom' in seven out of the 10 elementary schools and it is served in the cafeteria in the other elementary schools as well as the middle schools and the high schools," she said.

Breakfast in the classroom has boosted participation from about 50 percent to around 85 percent.

Fewer students choose to eat breakfast at the middle and high schools.

Lake Placid Middle has 25 percent participation, but Hill-Gustat Middle, which is doing "breakfast on the patio" this year, has 52 percent participation.

The breakfast participation at the high schools is: Lake Placid - 19 percent, Avon Park - 23 percent and Sebring High - 27 percent.