SENATE CONGRESSIONAL HEARING - March 4, 1997, 10:00 A.M.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY

Testimony from Mary Kate Harrison R.D.
School Food Service Director
Hillsborough County School District
901 East Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone - 813/272-4128           Fax - 813/272-4073

Good Morning. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to add to the testimony you have just heard, and, specifically, to talk about the school breakfast program. I am Mary Kate Harrison, Food Service Director for the Hillsborough County School District in Tampa, Florida. My district has over 150,000 students, 55% of whom are eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal. My district is growing at the staggering rate of over 4,000 new students each year, which challenges students to learn in schools that are over 125% capacity. Every day, we have 1200 dedicated foodservice employees who work hard at preparing and serving over 135,000 meals from 160 schools.

Each day, over 75% of our students participate in the National School Lunch Program, but only 30% of our children participate in the breakfast program. Late buses, short breakfast periods, and overcrowded dining rooms impact the number of students that can reasonable be served in a short period of time. Furthermore, many children do not eat breakfast at home because they have to leave home early in the morning to catch a long bus ride they, have parents who leave for work before daybreak, or they just have no food available at home. Unfortunately, many children are "on their own" from the time they wake up in the morning, until their parents come home from work in the evening. In my years of serving children and working with their teachers, I can attest to the fact that children who do not eat breakfast are cranky, lethargic, and certainly, not ready to learn.

Recognizing the positive impact that a nutritious breakfast would have on a child's performance, Hillsborough County began offering a "complimentary" breakfast to all elementary children during their annual testing week. In order to feed all students efficiently and rapidly, meals were packed by the cafeteria staff and delivered to each classroom by a student. These "high-energy" breakfasts were designed to have an inexpensive food cost, but still be nutritious and easy to eat. Students ate with their classmates and teacher in a quiet atmosphere, where there was no "stigma" attached to who was getting a "free" meal and who was paying full price.

We received hundreds of positive comments from principals, teachers, students, and parents. Mrs. Carr's fifth grade students wrote that they enjoyed eating in a quiet atmosphere, without standing in a noisy line where they were often pushed and shoved. Mr. C's third grade class commented that they were no longer hungry in the morning. Teachers wrote that children's attention span increased and disciplinary problems were reduced. Several teachers reported that children arrived in their class on time for breakfast, and that they had 100% attendance for those taking the test--a first! And, principals reported that the calm, quiet start of the day resulted in students that were attentive to their teachers and focused on learning instead of focusing on disrupting the class.

The overwhelming positive results from testing week showed that when we offered breakfast to all students, with no regard to whether the student was eligible for free or reduced or paid meals, our participation soared from 30% to 95%. Because of the demand to continue the program, we are now offering a complimentary breakfast once a month to all students. Our district's commitment to finding new and innovative ways to feed children allows us to continue to offer this popular and effective approach to serving breakfast.

Breakfast programs meet a vital need -- they feed millions of school children who otherwise might not eat a nutritious breakfast. And they work. Study after study has linked nutrition and learning. And more importantly, eating school breakfast has been linked to significant improvements in academic performance and a decrease in tardiness and truancy. The availability of the School Breakfast Program for all children is a critical element to achieving the education target established by Congress and President Clinton in Goals 2000 that all children in America will start their school day ready to learn.

As we approach reauthorization of child nutrition programs in 1998, I ask that you look at all possibilities to expand the school breakfast program. It would be a significant investment in, and commitment to, the healthy growth and educational advancement of all our children.