HARRISBURG- All public school students in Pennsylvania will now have access to free breakfast, thanks to a new program signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro.
The program, which is part of a $46 million addition to the state budget, will provide a healthy breakfast to all students, regardless of their family’s income.
“How can we expect kids to learn math and science in English when they come to school on an empty stomach?” Shapiro said in a statement. “We can’t.”
The breakfasts will be provided by the schools, and must include a grain, a fruit, and a milk product. Schools will also have to work out how to accommodate students with allergies.
The program is designed to ensure that no student feels singled out because they are receiving a free breakfast.
“It’s a very sensitive issue for children to be stigmatized as being poor and being hungry,” said Rhonda Ramp, Director of Child Nutrition with the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The Department of Education hopes that all eligible students will take advantage of the free breakfast program.
