Longview ISD Will Offer Free Breakfast + Lunch To All Elementary Students In August 2019

Even if Longview ISD parents don't have time to feed their kids breakfast in the morning or the kids go off and forget their lunch, there will be no worries that their child will go hungry thanks to a new program next year.

This past Monday evening, the Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved a measure that will make a free breakfast and lunch available from the cafeteria to every elementary student within Longview ISD beginning August 2019. This opportunity to feed elementary kids a balanced breakfast and lunch is made possible by the federal Community Eligibility Provision in conjunction with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 by allowing qualifying schools that serve populations with high poverty rates a free breakfast or lunch.

Longview ISD Director of Child Nutrition, Phyllis Dozier says parents will be informed of the new program in the coming weeks. In a press release, Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox says the program will benefit vulnerable families the most.

A child at should never have to worry about whether or not they're going to be able to eat a good breakfast or lunch. Too many of our students face challenges outside the classroom that impede their ability to succeed in the classroom. We can’t expect our students to focus on learning if they’re hungry and don’t know where their next meal is coming from."

The press release goes on to say that currently approximately 87% of students within Longview ISD qualify for a free or reduced price lunch. Read more about these exciting changes coming to Longview ISD here.