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A bill to be entitled

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An act relating to school food service programs; amending

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s. 1006.06, F.S.; encouraging the expansion of school

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district breakfast programs to middle and high schools;

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specifying requirements for the provision of universal

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free school breakfast; requiring information to be

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communicated to students and parents; authorizing the

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Department of Education to develop an incentive program to

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encourage student participation; providing an effective

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date.

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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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     Section 1.  Subsection (5) of section 1006.06, Florida

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Statutes, is amended to read:

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     1006.06  School food service programs.--

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     (5)(a)  Each district school board shall implement school

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breakfast programs in all elementary schools that make breakfast

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available to all students in the schools. kindergarten through

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grade 6 in each district school, unless the elementary school

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goes only through grade 5, in which case the requirement shall

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apply only through grade 5. Each district school board shall

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implement breakfast programs in all elementary schools in which

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students are eligible for free and reduced price lunch meals, to

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the extent specifically funded in the General Appropriations Act.

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Each district school board is encouraged to expand its school

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breakfast programs to make breakfast available to all students in

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its middle and high schools.

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     (b) Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year:

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     1. Each district school board is encouraged to make

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available universal free breakfast to eligible students in each

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elementary, middle, and high school in which 80 percent or more

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of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

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     2. Elementary, middle, and high school students in these

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schools shall annually receive information prepared by the

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district's food service administration regarding the school

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breakfast program. The information shall be communicated through

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school announcements and written notice sent to all parents.

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     (c) A district school board may operate a breakfast program

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providing for food preparation at the school site or in central

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locations with distribution to designated satellite schools or

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any combination thereof.

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     (d)(b) The commissioner shall make every reasonable effort

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to ensure that any school designated a "severe need school"

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receives the highest rate of reimbursement to which it is

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entitled pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s. 1773 for each free and reduced

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price breakfast served.

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     (e)(c) The department shall calculate and distribute a

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school district breakfast supplement for each school year by

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multiplying the state breakfast rate as specified in the General

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Appropriations Act by the number of free and reduced price

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breakfast meals served.

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     (f) The department is encouraged to develop, with national

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breakfast foundations and the Department of Agriculture, a cost-

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efficient incentive model to encourage school districts to expand

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student participation in school breakfast programs. The cost-

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efficient expansion model shall be developed with the use of

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existing funds and those funds made available from private

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organizations and foundations.

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     (g)(d) The Legislature shall provide sufficient funds in

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the General Appropriations Act to reimburse participating school

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districts for the difference between the average federal

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reimbursement for free and reduced price breakfasts and the

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average statewide cost for breakfasts.

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     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.