Dear editor,
Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools recently announced that their district has begun providing breakfast and lunch to all early childhood and elementary students at no cost to students’ families. This opportunity became possible through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which was part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. CEP is an innovative tool to improve child nutrition and reduce administrative burdens on schools and parents.
USD 500 is one of the first Kansas school districts to take advantage of this program. It is a smart and strategic move on the part of KCK Superintendent Cynthia Lane – as well as other district leaders – to help reduce child hunger.
The district’s decision to participate in CEP matters because it is part of a larger, sobering conversation about Kansas kids and their futures. Although the great recession is long over, nearly one in three Wyandotte County children continue to live in poverty. Kids in poverty are more likely to be food insecure, and studies prove that hungry children struggle to learn.
The effects of child poverty are especially evident in the classroom. Times are tough for all Kansas schools as they struggle to serve more students with fewer resources. A greater number of poor Kansas children combined with less state funding is an equation for crisis in Kansas schools. Alternate school meal models like CEP will help get nutritious meals to kids who need them – ensuring more kids are healthy and ready to learn.
Kansas kids who started Kindergarten when the great recession began in 2008 are now a year away from high school. We can’t afford to let child hunger continue at such significant levels for another year. The longer kids go hungry, the more likely they are to face other challenges later in school and – ultimately – later in life. Dr. Lane and USD 500 are to be applauded for their pro-active focus on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Shannon Cotsoradis
President and CEO
Kansas Action for Children