The Associated Press reports that "more schools are serving breakfast--not just in the cafeteria, but in the classroom," and not just to low-income children, but to all students.
   
Charles Basch, the Richard March Hoe Professor of Health and Education, who has extensively studied and documented the negative effects of poor nutrition and health on children's learning, told The Associated Press that school breakfast is only one of several factors that can affect on a child's ability to learn.
   
This A.P. story appeared in The Troy (New York) Record.
 
Last year in New York City, Basch helped design the The Children's Health Fund initiative, called "Healthy and Ready to Learn," based on his research showing that eight health issues -- including hunger and poor nutrition -- that disproportionately affect poor children have an impact on learning.

In an interview on with Nat ional Public Radio's WNYC station on Jan. 7, Basch said:  “Even when the teachers may be really good teachers, and even when the curriculum may be good, and even when there’s assessments and standards and accountability measures in place, if the students aren’t in school because of health problems, or even if they’re there, but they can’t see well or they can’t pay attention, it really jeopardizes everything  else that’s being done.”
   
Below are links to earlier stories about Basch's work:

LINK to audio story and print story on WNYC's SchoolBook website.


LINK to "Winning Allies in High Places for a Crusade for Student Health" on TC's website


LINK to an op-ed written by Basch for School Administrator magazine.

Published Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2015