Stakeholders in the food system are advocating for several bills in the Massachusetts legislature.
Legislation filed would require all school districts where 60 percent or more of students qualify for free or reduced price lunches to serve breakfast at the start of each school day.
This could mandate breakfast after the bell, also known as breakfast in the classroom, in places such as Pittsfield and Westfield.
Springfield, where the program was implemented district-wide in 2017, has seen rates of truancy, chronic absenteeism, and suspensions fall.
Advocates met in Springfield recently with elected officials to highlight this and other legislative priorities.
WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill spoke with Liz O’Gilvie, chair of the Springfield Food Policy Council.
