§ 6-18-705 - Breakfast program. - Arkansas Statutes

6-18-705. Breakfast program.

(a) (1) Beginning with the 1991-1992 school year, any schools located in a school district in which forty percent (40%) or more of the students enrolled in the school on October 1 of the preceding school year were eligible for free or reduced-price meals shall establish a school breakfast program.

(2) Beginning with the 1992-1993 school year, any schools located in a school district in which thirty-five percent (35%) or more of the students enrolled in the school on October 1 of the preceding school year were eligible for free or reduced-price meals shall establish a school breakfast program.

(3) Beginning with the 1993-1994 school year, any schools located in a school district in which twenty percent (20%) or more of the students enrolled in the school on October 1 of the preceding school year were eligible for free or reduced-price meals shall establish a school breakfast program.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prevent a school district not covered herein from implementing a school breakfast program or to prevent a school district from implementing a school breakfast program during an earlier year than required under this section.

(c) The Department of Education may promulgate rules and regulations necessary for implementation of this section in compliance with federal guidelines.

(d) (1) The State Board of Education may grant a one-year waiver of the requirements of this section to a school covered by this section that lacks facilities or equipment to offer a school breakfast program and in which the acquisition of such by the district would work an extreme hardship during the required year. However, such waiver shall expire and may not be renewed at the beginning of the following school year.

(2) In any high school under the requirements of this section, if fifty percent (50%) or more of the eligible students refuse to participate in the school breakfast program during any year of the program as demonstrated by sufficient proof to the department, the state board may grant a waiver from the requirements of this section to the high school.

(e) The department is hereby authorized to withhold state equalization aid from any school district that fails to comply with the provisions of this section.