BOSTON – State Rep. Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and state Sen. Brendan Crighton are pushing to expand school breakfast options for Massachusetts students in low-income communities.

A proposal Jones, who represents Lynnfield, and Crighton support has been dubbed “Breakfast After the Bell” because it is intended to help ensure students are better prepared for learning by providing them with a healthy breakfast at school.

“Food insecurity remains a serious issue for many students in Massachusetts, and the COVID-19 global pandemic has only added to this problem,” Jones said. “By implementing Breakfast After the Bell, we are taking proactive steps to make sure no student goes hungry and every student comes to school prepared to learn.”

The Ending Hunger in Our Classrooms 2019 annual report by the EOS Foundation ranks Massachusetts ranks 33rd out of 50 states in the percentage of low-income children who eat a school breakfast every day. 

The report estimates that nearly 159,000 low-income students in the Commonwealth do not have access to a nutritious morning meal at school.

Breakfast After the Bell requires public schools to provide a breakfast after the beginning of the instructional day, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year, if more than 60 percent of the students attending the school are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the federal National School Lunch Program. 

Schools will have the flexibility to choose which breakfast service model best suits their students’ needs, including breakfast in the classroom, grab- and-go breakfast served from mobile carts or kiosks located in the school, or a second chance breakfast offered during breaks between classes.

“Unfortunately, many children in today’s society go to school hungry, which is a problem only being exacerbated by COVID-19,” said Crighton. The legislation directs the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to develop guidelines and regulations to assist schools with implementing breakfast after the bell. 

DESE must also conduct an initial assessment of all schools required to offer breakfast after the bell by December 31, 2021.

The bill contains provisions allowing schools to obtain a one-year waiver from the Breakfast After the Bell requirement if they already have a breakfast participation rate of 80 percent or higher, or if the school demonstrates an extreme hardship related to implementation.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, fueling our children to be engaged and prepared to learn, so it is vital that all schoolchildren have access to a healthy, full meal in the morning. Breakfast After the Bell will ensure that all students in Massachusetts get the nutrition they need to start the school day focused and energized, regardless of economic background,” Crighton said.

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