AISD was recently recognized as one of the top top five large districts in Texas by Children at Risk for going above and beyond what is required to ensure students have access to meals before, during and after school.
Children at Risk, a program focused on improving the quality of life for children, used data from the Texas Department of Agriculture to conduct the evaluation.
“We are honored to be recognized for the focus we, as a district, have placed on expanding food access,” said Austin ISD’s Nutrition and Food Services Director Anneliese Tanner. “Knowing that school meals are often the only substantial source of nutrition children receive each day, we are always striving to incorporate new service methods to keep our students fueled for education and physical activity.”
By expanding its meal programs, AISD is contributing to local hunger relief by increasing food access opportunities throughout the district.
Food insecurity—when students don’t know where their next meal will come from—is an issue that is common among many Austin households.
Starting the day with a nutritious school breakfast is essential for student success. AISD currently serves free breakfast for all students at 78 campuses. With the addition of innovative services like Breakfast in the Classroom and breakfast carts, nutritious meals are now offered beyond the walls of the cafeteria.
As a district participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, AISD continues to expand its evening meals by partnering with after-school, athletic and fine arts programs.
Within AISD, 61 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The most recent schools to launch Breakfast in the Classroom saw, on average, a 50 percent increase in participation since moving breakfast from the cafeteria into the classroom. After-school meal participation has also seen a 55 percent increase during the last year, with AISD serving more than 4,000 meals each day at 52 locations.
For more information, please visit austinisd.org/nutritionfoodservices.