Wisconsin Breakfast Challenge

Research shows that children who eat breakfast perform better academically and have fewer behavioral problems. In addition, eating breakfast can improve a child's overall diet quality and can reduce their risk of being overweight. While Wisconsin schools have made great strides in increasing breakfast participation, we still remain second to last in the nation in the number of schools who offer breakfast. In an effort to increase breakfast participation the Wisconsin Department of Public instruction has issued a School Breakfast Challenge.

In conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Extension, we are challenging all schools to either implement a school breakfast program if they currently do not offer one or to increase school breakfast participation by 50% in existing school breakfast buildings. We hope that you accept this challenge to ensure that Wisconsin students start their day with a nutritious meal. Good luck to all.

About the Challenge

What is the goal? For every student to have access to a nutritious breakfast and to encourage more students to participate
How do we enter? Every district and private school will automatically be entered into the challenge
Assessment, how does my school meet the challenge?
- I currently offer breakfast, and offered it last year: As a measure of increased participation, the SBP Average Daily Participation (ADP) for the 2007-2008 school year will be compared to that of the 2008-2009 school year.
  - School Breakfast meals in public schools for the 2007-2008 school year
  - School Breakfast meals in private schools for the 2007-2008 school year
- I currently do not offer breakfast or did not offer last year: If a district or private school did not have a SBP in 2007-08, a baseline benchmark of 20% will be used (state averages indicate that approximately 20% of the students participating in the lunch program also participate in the SBP). Therefore, schools are challenged to increase their participation 50% over the 20% baseline.
How does my school succeed in the challenge? To succeed at this challenge your school must increase breakfast participation by 50% of your baseline (see above for your baseline information). Six schools will be selected as exceptional in meeting the challenge. The selection of schools will be tiered based on enrollment so that not all large or small schools are selected (two schools selected per tier):
- Enrollment of 400 or less
- Enrollment of 401 to 3,000
- Enrollment of 3,001 or more
What is the prize? All schools who meet the challenge will be recognized by DPI. The six schools chosen as exceptional will be publically recognized in the fall of 2009.
When will results be announced? Results are in, numbers are being analyzed and winners will be announced soon!