LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky lawmakers are working to make sure no child goes hungry during the school day.
The nonprofit Feeding Kentucky is working with the state's Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, Sen. Jason Howell, R-1, and Rep. Steve Riley, R-23, on two bills to remove the "barrier to breakfast" in schools "to ensure more students on free and reduced meals can eat breakfast," according to a news release.
The organization said nearly 273,000 children in the state miss breakfast at school because of issues like long bus rides.
Feeding Kentucky held a news conference Wednesday in Frankfort urging support of Senate Bill 151 and House Bill 435, which would allow districts to provide the 15 minutes of instructional time for breakfast at school.
"If a child comes to school hungry in the morning, and the only meal they got might be lunch, and they're ... if they're starving at home, learning is the last thing on their mind," Quarles said. "Study after study after study shows that passing rates are lowered when a child faces food insecurity."
The agriculture commissioner added that dropping GPAs and students repeating grades could also be traced back to malnutrition.
To learn more about Feed Kentucky's mission, click here.
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