Breakfast is available at nearly 90,000 schools across the country courtesy of USDA’s School Breakfast Program. On an average school day in fiscal 2014, some 13.5 million students participated. The breakfast program began in 1975, and throughout its history participation was considerably less than in the National School Lunch Program, which is 30 years older. Nevertheless, as breakfast funding increased the number of participating schools and children has steadily grown. The School Breakfast Program has historically targeted low-income areas; and its share of reduced-price or free meals has been larger than the School Lunch Program’s. But this difference between the two programs has narrowed, with each serving over two-thirds of its meals at reduced price or free. A notable increase in the free and reduced-price share in both programs in recent years likely reflects more children qualifying and choosing to participate during the 2007-09 recession, along with policy changes that have simplified the process of program qualification.
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