States breakfast programs often reflect poverty rates

fom The Green Bay Gazette

By Kelly McBride
kmcbride@greenbaypressgazette.com

With school breakfast programs often more prevalent in districts with higher poverty levels, it's no surprise the Green Bay School District offers breakfast in all but three of its 25 elementary schools.

The district's poverty rate — as defined by the number of students on subsidized lunch — was 47 percent for the 2006-07 school year, with some schools reaching poverty rates above 90 percent.

And while poverty in Brown County tends to be highest in the central city of Green Bay, other counties in more rural areas have greater struggles — and therefore greater need for services like school breakfast.

Marinette County is a prime example. The school breakfast program is offered in 21 of its 22 schools, according to University of Wisconsin-Extension data for the 2005-06 school year, the most recent year for which data is available.

"I know that's very positive for our children, for our families," said Nancy Crevier, a family living agent with the Marinette County University of Wisconsin-Extension, adding there are "very, very high statistics in those rural areas relative to poverty."

In fact, several Marinette County school districts have higher poverty rates than the Green Bay district, according to statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

In the Goodman-Armstrong School District, for example, 50 percent of students qualified for subsidized lunch in 2006-2007, up from 32 percent during the 2000-2001 school year. The Wausaukee district had a 51 percent poverty rate for 2006-2007, compared with nearly 54 percent for Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine, according to DPI statistics.

Although the county has breakfast widely available, getting students to participate isn't always easy, Crevier said. Parents aren't always made aware of the option, and even those who are might be hesitant to fill out subsidized meal forms when applicable.

"People don't always want to do the paperwork to show that," Crevier said, "They don't want to send that USDA form back into school, knowing whose eyes are going to see this, where this is going to go. … It should not be a stigma for you. That's the biggest obstacle."

"Whether they're poor or not, they need adequate nutrition," Janowski said. "The program is not just for poor kids. It should be accessible for all kids."

The following is a list of 41 school districts in the seven-county area, and the current status – if any – of their school breakfast programs:

Brown County

# Ashwaubenon: Breakfast program for all five schools. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Denmark: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# De Pere: No breakfast program.

# Green Bay: Breakfast program for kindergarten through 12th grade and Head Start. Full or reduced-price, based on income. Some schools with universal breakfast.

# Howard-Suamico: Breakfast program for most schools.

# Pulaski: Breakfast program for middle and high school students. For the elementary buildings based on income level.

# West De Pere: No breakfast program, but district is considering starting one

# Wrightstown: Breakfast program for grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Free for all students.

Door County

# Gibraltar: No program.

# Sevastopol: No program.

# Southern Door: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. There is a cost.

# Sturgeon Bay: Breakfast program for kindergarten to 12th grade. There is a cost.

# Washington Island: No program.

Kewaunee County

# Algoma: Breakfast program for all ages and grades. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Kewaunee: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Luxemburg-Casco: No program.

Oconto County

# Gillett: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten to fifth grade.

# Lena: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. There is a cost.

# Oconto: No breakfast program.

# Oconto Falls: Breakfast program for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. There is a cost.

# Suring: Breakfast program for ages 3-4 years and kindergarten to fifth grade. Fee or reduced-price, based on income.

Marinette county

# Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Coleman: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Crivitz: Program for 4-year-old kindergarten through eighth grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Goodman-Armstrong: Program for 4-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Marinette: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Niagara: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Peshtigo: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Wausaukee: Breakfast program offered to all students.

Manitowoc county

# Kiel: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Manitowoc: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Mishicot: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income.

# Reedsville: No program.

# Two Rivers: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Full or reduced-price, based on income

# Valders: A la carte only.

Shawano county

# Bonduel: Program for kindergarten through fifth grade

# Bowler: Program for kindergarten through 12th grade. Free for everyone.

# Shawano: Program for kindergarten through eighth grade.

# Gresham: No program

# Tigerton: A la carte only.

# Wittenberg/Birnamwood: Two of four schools have breakfast program.