Manatee County May Go to Universal Free Breakfast

The Food & Nutrition Services Dept. of the Manatee County (Fla.) Schools has proposed that the district begin offering universal free breakfast next year, reports the Bradenton Herald. Manatee's school board is expected to take up the proposal in mid April.

The district, located to the north and east of Sarasota, had piloted offering free breakfast for all students during state and national testing in March and saw participation increases of approximately 8 percent in elementary schools, 7 percent in middle schools and 5 percent in high school. Overall breakfast participation in the district as of March stood at around 47 percent.