Effective: October 17, 2019
Latest Legislation: House Bill 166 - 133rd General Assembly
(A)(1) The department of education shall establish a program under which public schools that meet the conditions prescribed in this section shall offer breakfast to all students either before or during the school day. Each of the following shall apply:
(a) In the first school year after the effective date of this section, the program shall apply to any public school in which seventy per cent or more of the students enrolled in the school during the previous school year were eligible under federal requirements for free or reduced-price breakfasts or lunches.
(b) In the second school year after the effective date of this section, the program shall apply to any public school in which sixty per cent or more of the students enrolled in the school during the previous school year were eligible under federal requirements for free or reduced-price breakfasts or lunches.
(c) In the third school year after the enactment date of this section and every school year thereafter, the program shall apply to any public school in which fifty per cent or more of the students enrolled in the school during the previous school year were eligible under federal requirements for free or reduced-price breakfasts or lunches.
(2) The district superintendent or building principal, in consultation with the building staff, shall determine the model for serving breakfast under the program. Each breakfast served under the program shall comply with federal meal patterns and nutritional standards and with section 3313.814 of the Revised Code. A school district board of education may make a charge in accordance with federal requirements for each meal to cover all or part of the costs incurred in operating the program.
(B) The department shall publish a list of public schools that meet the conditions of division (A) of this section. The department shall offer technical assistance to school districts and schools regarding the implementation of a school breakfast program that complies with this section and the submission of claims for reimbursement under the federal school breakfast program.
(C)(1) The department shall monitor each school participating in the program and ensure that each participating school complies with the requirements of this section.
(2) If the board of education of a school district determines that, for financial reasons, a school under the board's control cannot comply with the requirements of this section or the board already has a successful breakfast program or partnership in place, the district board may choose not to comply with those requirements.
(D) Not later than the thirty-first day of December of each school year, the department shall provide statistical reports on its web site that specify the number and percentage of students participating in school breakfast programs disaggregated by school district and individual schools, including community schools, established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, and STEM schools, established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code.
(E) Not later than the thirty-first day of December of each school year, the department shall prepare a report on the implementation and effectiveness of the program established under this section and submit the report to the general assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, and to the governor. The report shall include:
(1) The number of students and participation rates in the free and reduced-price breakfast programs under this section for each school building;
(2) The type of breakfast model used by each school building participating in the breakfast program;
(3) The number of students and participation rates in free or reduced-price lunch for each school building.