The Senate Education Committee today approved a bill that will require high-poverty schools to serve breakfast after the bell. This means that about 150,000 more low-income students will receive this all-important morning meal.

The committee also passed a measure that will help reduce chronic absenteeism in our schools by requiring districts to keep track of chronically-absent students. Schools with high absenteeism will be required to develop plans to improve attendance, under the measure.

Both bills are top ACNJ legislative priorities.

Thanks to all of our education advocates and other supporters who came out to speak up for kids on these issues.

Educators and parents from Paterson, Union City, Egg Harbor City and Bound Brook told their breakfast success stories -- and the tremendous impact that breakfast after the bell is having on their students' academic achievement. Other educators from Paterson talked about how they have developed targeted plans for reducing absenteeism and the tremendous results they have produced.

Thanks also go to our NJ Food for Thought Coalition partners -- New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Association of School Administrators, New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, New Jersey PTA and New Jersey School Nutrition Association for their support.

We'd also like to extend a special thanks to Senator Teresa Ruiz, committee chair and bill sponsor, and Senator Shirley Turner, co-sponsor, for their leadership, as well as committee members James Beach, Robert M. Gordon and Samuel Thompson for their support.

While this is a great first step, we still have a few more hurdles to clear before both pieces of legislation become a reality. So please stay tuned and join us at the Statehouse to support bills that are good for kids.

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