Study Shows Link Between School Breakfast and Academic Achievement

School breakfast makes a difference for learning. Drs. Michael Murphy and Ronald Kleinman, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in collaboration with Project Bread and Boston Public Schools, have found that increasing school breakfast participation is associated with a reduction in child hunger and with improved nutrition, school attendance, emotional functioning, and math grades.

These findings, released in November 2000, are from a two-year evaluation of the universal free breakfast pilot program (all students are eligible for free breakfast regardless of family income) in 16 Boston schools.

Hunger and Nutritional Status of Students Before the Pilot Program

Based on interviews with students and their parents, researchers found that prior to the start of the pilot program about one quarter of the students in these Boston public schools were classified as hungry or at risk for hunger and about one third of all students were classified as having a low intake of one or more critically important nutrients in their diets.

Similar to the results from prior research conducted by the research team in Philadelphia, hungry students and students at nutritional risk were found to have poorer grades and more symptoms of emotional/ behavior problems.

At the same time, more than one third of all students interviewed reported that they rarely ate breakfast at school or home.

After the Free Breakfast Program Started: Increased School Breakfast Participation, Improved Nutrition and Decreases in Hunger

Follow-up interviews conducted six months after the program started showed that:

• More than half of the students who were nutritionally at risk and more than two thirds of the children classified as hungry or at risk for hunger before the program increased their school breakfast participation; and

• Students who increased their school breakfast participation the most not only reported a decrease in indicators of hunger, but also were two to three times more likely to show improved nutrition than students whose school breakfast participation did not increase.
  

Increased School Breakfast Impacts Academic Achievement

Participating in school breakfast was also shown to be associated with academic achievement. Students who increased their participation in the School Breakfast Program:

• Increased their math grades;
• Decreased their school absence and tardiness rates; and
• Were shown to have decreased emotional/behavioral problems.

Improved Student Behavior and High Satisfaction with Program Reported

Another part of the study was a survey of more than 1000 students, school staff and parents. Results showed that school staff believed that the new school breakfast program benefited the students.

• Nearly 60 percent of the staff reported a positive change in student behavior.
• 63 percent reported n improvement in student attentiveness.

Not surprisingly, a significant majority of the respondents reported a high level of overall satisfaction with the universal free breakfast program.

• 73 % of all espondents stated that they liked the program.
• 100 % of the parents said that the program had a positive impact on their family life.
• 94 % of staff recommended the pilot program be ontinued.

A Proven Model for Sustaining Increased School Breakfast Participation

High satisfaction with a Universal Breakfast Program (UBP) was also reflected in the positive change in school breakfast participation. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of offering school breakfast universally free as a way to sustain high program participation rates. After nearly two years, school breakfast participation rates in the schools remained more than 30 percent higher than they had been prior to the start of the pilot program.

In three schools that tried making school breakfast a part of the official school day by serving breakfast in the classroom or by starting school earlier, the participation rate increased much more – exactly 100 percent – suggesting that even greater gains in participation are possible when breakfast is incorporated into the regular school day rather than aking it a before school option. The overall student participation rate in these three schools rose from 27 to 54 percent.

Conclusion

Universal free school breakfast programs can make a significant difference for children who are hungry and at nutritional risk. Students in this study who increased their school breakfast participation reported fewer indicators of hunger and improved nutrition, academic performance and emotional functioning. In addition, the research showed that universal breakfast offered during the school day may be an effective way to reach the students who need it most. These findings confirm and extend the findings of this continuum of research on the effects of universal free school breakfast programs being conducted in other major cities in the United States

Kleinman, R. et al., Diet, Breakfast, and Academic Performance in Children, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2002.

Breakfast and Learning

Research confirms that participation in the School Breakfast Program leads to academic and behavioral improvement. According to a study performed by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in collaboration with Project Bread and the Boston Public Schools, students who increased their rate of breakfast participation experienced higher math grades, improved attendance, decreased absenteeism, and fewer emotional and behavioral problems. This is consistent with a preliminary study on school breakfast participation and MCAS results that was conducted by the Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The study found that among schools with 60 – 79 percent of students eligible for free and reduced price meals, higher participation in the School Breakfast Program was correlated with higher MCAS results for both Math and English

Students aren’t the only ones who benefit from the School Breakfast Program!

• Teachers find that students are better able to concentrate in class and disrupt class less often.

• School nurses see fewer students experiencing hunger related symptoms, such as headaches and stomachaches.

• Principals report higher test scores among their students and deal with fewer behavioral problems.

• Food service directors benefit from the increased revenue generated from paying students and federal reimbursements.

• Parents have more time in the morning to get their children ready for school and can feel comfortable knowing that their children will receive a nutritious meal as soon as they arrive at school.

School Breakfast Participation is Directly Correlated with Higher MCAS Scores among Elementary School Students

In collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE), the Center for Social Policy at the University of Massachusetts, Boston conducted a study of school breakfast participation and academic achievement that was sponsored by Project Bread. The study analyzed the correlation between School Breakfast Program participation and Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) scores during the 2003–2004 school year.

Method

The study focused on schools in Massachusetts where 60 percent or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced price school meals. We looked at spring 2004 English MCAS scores for students in grade three, and Math and English scores in grade four, at 228 elementary schools in 24 districts (and four charters). The data set included records on almost 14,000 students in each grade. These MCAS scores were compared with school-wide information, collected by the DOE in October 2003, about eligibility for and participation in the School Breakfast Program.

Schools were grouped into four categories according to the proportion of students eligible for free and reduced price school meals (60-69; 70-79; 80-89; and more than 90 percent). Scores were then compared across similar populations in terms of household income as indicated by level of eligibility for school nutrition assistance.

Findings

Among the 125 schools, (in 23 districts and three charters) where between 60 and 79 percent of the students were eligible for free or reduced price meals, higher school breakfast participation correlated with higher MCAS scores. This finding holds for both grades three and four, as well as for both English and Math scores, and is statistically significant.

In all cases, a participation rate of 80–100 percent in the School Breakfast Program results in significantly higher MCAS scores than participation at lower levels.

These results confirm findings from previous research showing that school breakfast participation can lead to better grades. In a study with Boston Public School students, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that when students increased their nutrient intake by eating school breakfast, their math grades improved significantly.

Overcoming Barriers to School Breakfast Participation

In most schools, breakfast is still served during the hour before school starts. Children on late buses or on tight morning schedules cannot arrive in time to eat. With families increasingly pressed for time, many students fall into the group that arrives “as the bell rings.” The universal breakfast model, created to eliminate stigma and make breakfast free to all students, still often achieves only 30–40 percent participation when served before the bell. In the optimal model, breakfast during the regular school day becomes the standard, and over 80 percent of students participate.

Conclusion

With the introduction of the MCAS, many schools began serving breakfast to all students being tested on the day of the exam. This was based on the notion that a nutritious breakfast improves children’s ability to concentrate and follow instructions. In low-income communities, where children are more likely to come to school hungry and undernourished, school breakfast should be served every school day. Schools can encourage all students to participate in the breakfast program by offering universal breakfast as part of the school day. When they do, their students are better prepared to learn and achieve.

School Breakfast Pre-Study, Center for Social Policy, UMass Boston, Report to Project Bread, 2005.