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Bill Summary · HB 2341

Overview

  • Bill: HB 2341
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: Missouri
  • Sponsor: Representative Proudie (co-sponsors Tonya Rush and Raychel Proudie)
  • Purpose: Mandate “breakfast after the bell” in eligible public and charter schools starting in the 2026-27 school year, with certain exemptions and implementation guidance.

Main purpose and intent

  • To ensure that students at eligible public and charter schools have access to breakfast after the instructional day has begun, improving student nutrition and potential academic readiness.
  • The policy defines and standardizes when breakfast after the bell must be offered and provides a framework for implementation, exemptions, and evaluation.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition:

    • “Breakfast after the bell” means breakfast served after the official start of the instructional day but before the lunch period begins.

  • Eligibility to require breakfast after the bell (effective 2026-27 and onward):

    • (a) Any public school (including charter schools) in which 70% or more of students enrolled in the immediately preceding year were eligible for free or reduced-price meals (as per NSLP/SBP).
    • (b) Any public school (including charter schools) with an individual-site percent for free or reduced-price meals of 70% or more that is a Provision 2 school (per 7 CFR 245.9) or that uses the USDA Community Eligibility Option (CEO/CEP).

  • Exemptions and thresholds:

    • Schools where 70% or more of eligible students participate in the School Breakfast Program are not required to offer breakfast after the bell.
    • If a school initially required to offer after the bell falls below the 70% threshold, the school must continue for two consecutive years; if still below, it would no longer be required to offer after the bell. A school that drops below can re-enter the requirement if it later again meets the threshold.

  • Service models:

    • Schools may use any service model that fits their students (e.g., breakfast in the classroom, breakfast after first period, or pick-up options).

  • Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) responsibilities:

    • Notify qualifying schools by July 1 each year.
    • Develop and distribute implementation procedures and guidelines aligned with federal regulations.
    • Provide technical assistance.
    • Recognize up to 15 minutes of breakfast consumption as instructional time if consumed in the classroom and instruction continues during breakfast (no more than 15 minutes).
    • Collect and publish annually information on breakfast-after-the-bell delivery models.
    • Assist schools with modest enrollment increases (<10% annually) to increase participation.
    • Prepare and submit an annual report to the General Assembly on implementation and effectiveness by December 31.

  • Collaboration and support:

    • DESE must collaborate with nonprofit organizations on equity, hunger, and best practices; maintain and share a list of philanthropic opportunities for breakfast programs.

  • Federal funding contingency:

    • If federal per-meal reimbursements for free/reduced-price breakfasts decrease below 2026 levels or are eliminated, schools are not required to offer breakfast after the bell.

Who is affected

  • Public schools and charter schools that meet the eligibility thresholds (70%+ of students qualifying for free/reduced-price meals or at high-need site eligibility under CEP/Provision 2).
  • Students at those schools, including late-arriving students or those arriving by nonstandard transportation, who would receive breakfast after the bell.
  • DESE, which will implement guidelines, tracking, and reporting.
  • Nonprofit partners and potential philanthropic funders collaborating to support breakfast programs.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective start: School year 2026-27 for required implementation, with annual applicability based on the eligibility criteria.
  • Annual determinations: Eligibility and notification processes occur each year (by July 1) to identify which schools are required to offer breakfast after the bell.
  • Evaluation timeline: DESE must annually report to the General Assembly by December 31 on implementation and effectiveness.
  • Transitional provisions: If a school drops below the 70% threshold, a two-year transition period applies before the requirement can lapse, while a school may voluntarily continue offering breakfast after the bell.

Practical considerations

  • Schools can choose flexible service models to fit their context, potentially reducing stigma and improving participation.
  • The bill emphasizes compliance with federal School Breakfast Program rules and allows recognizing limited instructional time for in-classroom breakfast.
  • The federal funding trigger protects schools if reimbursements decline, ensuring that budgetary pressures do not force discontinuation of programs supported by federal funds.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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