The Maryland State Department of Education received a $50,000 grant to expand access to breakfast at schools in the state.
The state’s Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs received the grant from the No Kid Hungry School Breakfast Leadership Institute.
During this school year, 98.6 percent of Maryland schools that served lunch also served breakfast, ranking Maryland in the top 10 states for offering school breakfast throughout the country, according to MSDE. About 62 percent of students who qualify for free and reduced-priced meals participated in the breakfast program.
“Every day we see the connection between good nutrition and academic achievement,” State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon said in a news release. “Maryland is dedicated to making sure that every student has access to a healthy breakfast and that they are better prepared to succeed in the classroom.”
Research has shown that students who have access to school breakfast are more likely to perform better on exams, attend class more frequently and have fewer behavioral issues, according to MSDE.
The Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs has created a six-person team focused on prioritizing and expanding school breakfast programs.
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