In a sudden reversal, eating breakfast in class has gone from being against the rules last year to something that is not only encouraged, but offered for free to all students across campus.

The change is the result of a district initiative to expand food access to students, reduce tardiness and improve academic performance. The decision to provide Breakfast in the Classroom at Akins was an easy decision for Principal Brandi Hosack after district officials approached her with the proposal last spring.

“The district came to me at the end of last year and gave a presentation that about only 300 students eat breakfast in the morning and that told me that a lot of my kids are going to class hungry,” Hosack said.

Now that breakfast is being served in the classroom about 1,100 to 1,280 students are eating the meal every day so far this year, said Roland Cortez, Akins food service manger.

More than 57 percent of the students in Austin ISD qualify for free or reduced price meals. One out of every four children in Travis Country live in a food insecure households according to district statistics. is means many students rely on the school meals for their nutrition.

Offering breakfast in the classroom allows the district to reach more of the students to ensure they start the day right with a healthy meal. Since students receive breakfast in the classroom Monday through Friday every morning do the teachers think it’s really helpful and notice a change in students focus in class or do the teacher think it’s a huge disaster and they should get rid of it. Some teachers said they are noticing a difference in student performance already.

“I have noticed that my students are all here and on time for class 1st and 5th period,” said SEL teacher Sarah Nickle. “They are focused, prepared and they participate in the activities we do in class.”