Findings, declarations relative to school breakfast programs

1. The Legislature finds and declares that: a. The federal School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program that is implemented in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions nationwide, and is designed to ensure that each participating child receives breakfast containing at least one-fourth of the nutrients needed daily. b. The federal School Breakfast Program was established in 1966 with the purpose of providing a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast to promote sound eating habits, and fostering good health and academic achievement for school-age children. c. New Jersey ranks fiftieth in the nation for participation in the federal School Breakfast Program by schools offering school lunch, and the State has seen only modest increases in participation in recent years. d. Research shows that school breakfast increases attendance and decreases tardiness, improves academic performance both in class and on standardized tests, improves attentiveness, and reduces emotional and behavioral problems among students from all backgrounds. e. Based on the foregoing findings, it is clearly in the public interest for the State to require school districts to offer school breakfasts through the federal School Breakfast Program, and to publicize the availability of such breakfasts in their communities. L.2003,c.4,s.1; amended 2022, c.104, s.4.