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TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF BREAKFAST IN THE CLASSROOM AND ITS IMPACT
ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE
A Dissertation Proposal
Presented to
The Faculty of the Education Department
Carson-Newman University
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education
By
Sabra E. Bledsoe
May 2018
ii
Dissertation Approval Form
iii
Abstract
An alarming number of students in the United States have experienced food insecurities. These
insecurities may lead to long-term effects on cognitive development. Through efforts from the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), programs such as Breakfast in the Classroom
(BIC) were developed. The purpose of this qualitative case study, based on grounded theory,
was to explore the perceptions of teachers in regard to the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC)
program and its impact on student performance. This study was conducted in rural West
Tennessee in a Title I high school, and took into consideration the impact that teachers and their
perceptions had on the success of BIC. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations,
participant journals, and student data were utilized as a means of data collection. The findings in
this study revealed the positive and negative views of teachers in regard to Breakfast in the
Classroom. Analysis of the data indicated that teachers recognize that Breakfast in the Classroom
meets students’ basic needs, improves behavior, improves academic performance, protects
instructional time, and builds relationships with the teacher and peers.
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© Copyright 2018
Sabra Elaine Bledsoe
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Dedication
This study is dedicated to my mom, Theresia Bledsoe, who has always believed in me, and to my
late dad, Bruce Bledsoe, who was always my voice of reason. Dad, you supported all of my
endeavors and taught me to set short and long-term goals. Mom, as an educator, you taught me
at an early age to love children and to love learning. That combination has aided me in my
interest of nourishing the holistic child. I would also like to dedicate this study to my two
wonderful children, Jordan and Madison, who have been so understanding and selflessly allowed
me to take the many late nights studying and researching in order to reach this goal. You two
have been my motivation to keep pushing through even when times get rough! I hope that I have
instilled in you that same desire and drive to follow your dreams and to put in the hard work in
order to reach your goals.
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Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank God for wrapping His loving arms around me and carrying me
through hard times when I felt I could no longer go on this journey.
I would like to thank my dissertation committee chairperson, Dr. Dean, who was willing to
respond to my random texts and emails at any time of the day or night. She always knew exactly
what to say to calm my unsettled nerves and to alleviate my self-doubt. I would not have
successfully made it through this process without her unwavering support.
I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Cates, who encouraged me
throughout this process and made sure that I stayed on the right track. Knowing you all were
cheering me on gave me the confidence I needed to keep moving forward.
I would like to thank my dissertation reader, Dr. Hollingshead, whose keen eye allowed me to
develop a final product that is precise and presentable. Your suggestions and guidance did not
go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated.
I would like to thank my family for their support throughout this entire process. They have been
my biggest cheerleaders and are the reason that giving up never crossed my mind.
I would like to thank Lindsey, my dearest friend, who has walked through this journey with me
as we both enrolled in the doctoral program at the same time. Your calming, positive spirit has
meant more to me than you will ever know.
Lastly, I would like to thank all educators who go the extra mile to get to really know and
understand the needs of their students. I am forever in awe to all educators who make it their job
to nourish each student holistically.
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Table of Contents
Title Page ......................................................................................................................................... i
Dissertation Approval .................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii
Copyright Statement ...................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication........................................................................................................................................v
Acknowledgements.........................................................................................................................vi
Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... vii
List of Tables and Figures ..............................................................................................................ix
Chapter 1: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1
Introduction and Background of the Study ..................................................................................1
Research Problem ........................................................................................................................4
Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................................5
Research Question ........................................................................................................................6
Rationale for the Study ................................................................................................................7
The Researcher .............................................................................................................................7
Definition of Terms ......................................................................................................................9
Summary ....................................................................................................................................10
Chapter 2: Review of Literature ................................................................................................13
Broad Historical Literature ........................................................................................................14
Theoretical Lens and Related Theoretical Literature ..................................................................24
Literature Related to the Topic ..................................................................................................29
Specific Literature Related to the Current Study .......................................................................40
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Principals ....................................................................................................................................41
Summary ....................................................................................................................................48
Chapter 3: Methodology .............................................................................................................50
Description of Qualitative Research ..........................................................................................50
Description of the Specific Research Approach ........................................................................51
Description of the Study Participants and Setting .....................................................................52
Data Collection Procedures ........................................................................................................53
Ethical Considerations ...............................................................................................................56
Summary ....................................................................................................................................60
Chapter 4: Presentation of the Finding .....................................................................................61
Participants ................................................................................................................................62
Student Achievement Data ........................................................................................................64
Analysis of Data ........................................................................................................................66
Presentation of Themes .............................................................................................................77
Summary ...................................................................................................................................86
Chapter 5: Conclusion ................................................................................................................88
Discussion of Findings ..............................................................................................................89
Limitations, Delimitations, and Implications ............................................................................96
Recommendations .....................................................................................................................98
Summary ...................................................................................................................................99
References ...................................................................................................................................101
Appendices ..................................................................................................................................119
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Demographics of Teacher Participants ...................................................................... 64
Table 4.2 Student Data ............................................................................................................... 65
Table 4.3 Data Sorted in Levels of Coding................................................................................ 67
Table 4.4 Benefits and Obstacles to BIC ................................................................................... 77
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduction and Background of the Study
In 2016, it was reported that over 12% of Americans lived in households that experienced
food insecurities for part, if not all, of the year (Coleman-Jenson, Rabbitt, Gregory, & Singh,
2017). This affected more than 15 million households. Food insecurity is experienced when
there is inadequate access to food for all family members due to lack of resources, such as money
(Feeding Texas, n.d.). When on a low budget, families often have to resort to low cost food
options, which unfortunately are mostly lacking in nutritional value (Black, 2012). A lack of
proper nourishment can have a long-term effect on cognitive development and the ability for one
to successfully contribute to the economy (Creighton, 2012). Students who come from food
insecure households have been reported to have increased behavior issues manifested through
aggression, depression, and anxiety. These students also experience increased diagnoses of
disorders that can affect one’s ability to learn, such as attention deficit disorder (Black, 2012).
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) fights to combat these insecurities by
providing nutrition assistance programs (Coleman-Jenson et al., 2017).
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) was created to reduce food insecurities in
households with school-age children. Research showed that students who participated in the
NSLP consumed more fruits and vegetables and fewer empty calories. The students who
participated in the food program also consumed more nutrients, such as fiber and calcium
(Ralston & Coleman-Jensen, 2017). The School Breakfast Program (SBP) was introduced in
1966 and became a permanent fixture in schools by 1975. In 2012, it was reported that nearly
12.84 million students were eligible and participated in the SBP (Swartzendruber, 2013). SBP
provides federal funding to states in order to implement a non-profit breakfast program in
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schools and childcare facilities. Schools that utilize this funding must provide free or reduced
price breakfast to all qualifying students according to the standards set by the USDA.
According to studies, students who participated in the SBP showed improvement in the areas of
problem-solving and comprehension. Other areas were also positively affected including
attendance and behavior. Participation in the SBP has also been linked to reducing the risk of
childhood obesity (Swartzendruber, 2013). Participation in the SBP has increased since its early
days from around 500,000 participants in 1970 to 8.2 million by 2003 (McDonnell, Probart,
Weirich, Hartman, & Birkenshaw, 2004). Even so, the SBP’s participation rates cannot stand up
in comparison to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). In 2003, there was a reported
27.8 million NSLP participants which is leaps and bounds above the number reported to
participate in the SBP in the same year (McDonnell et al., 2004).
How well a SBP is implemented depends heavily on the buy-in of stakeholders. Some
school stakeholders include superintendents, principals, administrators, teachers, food service
personnel, janitors, students, and parents. McDonnell et al. (2004) reported school
administrators’ concerns about the cost of SBP and staffing. Even though food service directors
did not see cost as a major barrier to the SBP, some administrators expressed concerns about the
cost of extending the workday for cafeteria staff and possibly having to hire more cafeteria staff
members. Stakeholders also expressed concerns about the time it would take to carry out the
SBP and how it would affect bus schedules. The SBP would have to align with the time that
buses arrive. Administrators would also have to plan a time for breakfast that would not cut into
instructional time. Students who attended activities scheduled prior to the start of school could
possibly affect participation in the SBP. Others felt that providing breakfast should be the
responsibility of the parent and should not be a school matter (McDonnell et al., 2004). When
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students were asked their viewpoint, they felt that students who ate school breakfast were lacking
attention from their parents or were too lazy to get up in time to fix or eat breakfast at home.
Parents lacked awareness of how the SBP could impact their students’ academic and behavioral
performance, therefore hindering the amount of support schools received from parents related to
the program. Parents and other stakeholders also expressed concerns about the nutritional value
of food served through the SBP. Other major concerns expressed by stakeholders included
overcrowded cafeterias, students reporting not being hungry at the time breakfast was served,
and the stigma that school breakfast was only for students from low-income families (McDonnell
et al., 2004). School administrators reported that they did like the social aspect of serving
breakfast at school. This gave students an opportunity to carry out positive conversations and
build relationships with their classmates and school staff. The perceptions of all stakeholders
must be considered when designing a breakfast program that has the potential for success
(McDonnell et al., 2004).
In order to eliminate some barriers to the SBP, Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) was
initiated. According to New York University (2016), BIC programs aim to improve learning
conditions as well as improve students’ nutrition. Students will have increased food security as
they know they will have breakfast available to them each school day. Improved attendance and
student participation may result from BIC. Increased participation in the SBP program is
anticipated as breakfast is moved from the cafeteria to the classroom. The New York City
Department of Education reported a 55% increase in school breakfast participation since they
moved breakfast to the classroom. The major concern expressed by those who oppose the
program is increased caloric intake of students who eat breakfast at home and opt to eat a second
breakfast when arriving to school. If this is the case, it is feared that BIC can contribute to
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students becoming overweight or obese (New York University, 2016).
McDonnell et al. (2004) stated that hunger can cause a student’s mental capacity to be
impaired. Students included in one study showed improved performance on standardized tests
when they consumed school breakfast. Furthermore, anxiety and depression seem to be
negatively impacted by hunger. Positive effects have been tied to school breakfast consumption
including improved attendance rates (McDonnell et al., 2004). All stakeholders should be aware
of the impact that the BIC can have on students holistically.
Research Problem
Previous research has shown the importance of eating breakfast on a regular basis.
According to Breakfast in the Classroom (2014), in 2013, 15.8 million U.S. children lived in
households that experienced hunger issues. Food security refers to the access of adequate food
for all people within a household which allows them to live an active and healthy life (Coleman-
Jensen et al., 2017). In 2016, 6.1 million households were categorized as having very low food
security (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2017). Households that received incomes below the poverty
level had the highest levels of food insecurities at 38.3%. When comparing food insecurity by
region, states in the South had the highest percentages. The amount of money spent on food was
reported lower for households headed by a single parent with children. Over 50% of households
who received assistance from Federal food and nutrition assistance programs reported food
insecurities within their homes (Coleman-Jensen et al., 2017). A study discussed by Wang,
McPherson, Marsh, Gortmaker, & Brown (2011) projected that the prevalence of obesity in the
US will increase by around 65 million by 2030, therefore increasing the number of people who
suffer from diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In turn, this will cause a spike in
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medical costs related to treatment for these preventable diseases. In order to ensure food security
for all students and promote healthy eating lifestyles at an early age, schools should make every
effort to provide proper nourishment through school meals, in turn, creating an environment
where learning can take place. Providing breakfast in the classroom will help to ensure the
physical and academic well-being of students. School breakfast will give students proper fuel
for their brains and will help them to perform better in school. Also, BIC can help to improve
the rates of absenteeism and tardiness. School attendance has been associated with higher levels
of student achievement in school (Gottfried, 2010). Providing school breakfast will be a way for
stakeholders to support and promote student success.
Even though there are several advantages to BIC, there are still those who oppose its
implementation. Some stakeholders may perceive BIC as a burden, rather than a tool to aid
students in improving behavior and academic performance. Teachers might see it as limiting
instructional time and as a disturbance in the classroom. School leaders and food services
employees may see it as logistically too difficult to implement. Students and parents may be
concerned with the stigma of eating school breakfast (Bailey-Davis, Virus, McCoy,
Wojtanowski, Veur, & Foster (2013). There is a need for a better understanding, by all
stakeholders, of the benefits to offering breakfast in the classroom.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine educational stakeholders’
perceptions regarding Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and how their perceptions can affect the
implementation of this program. Research has shown that basic needs, such as the need for food,
must be met before individuals can satisfy more complex needs. This is evident in the school
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setting as students who come to school hungry tend to have trouble concentrating and
demonstrate other characteristics such as higher levels of misbehavior, poor attendance, and
lower levels of academic achievement. Most schools have now incorporated the School
Breakfast Program (SBP) where all students from low-income families can receive breakfast for
free or at a reduced price. In recent years, several states have adopted the Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) program providing reimbursable breakfast to all students and reducing barriers
to the SBP. Previous research has shown the need for things such as food and shelter. Through
this study, further research will be conducted to determine if educational stakeholders perceive
BIC as a positive or negative initiative and whether or not it is perceived to be the school’s
responsibility to nurture its students holistically. Without the support of stakeholders, initiatives
such as BIC may not be implemented as intended, hindering the ability to see its full potential.
One major goal of this study was to provide additional research to help understand the
perceptions of those stakeholders who are in the forefront of initiating the BIC program.
Teachers are one of the main stakeholders who deal with the implementation of BIC on a daily
basis. Their perceived pros and cons of the program were discussed to better understand how
these perceptions affect participation in BIC.
Research Question
From the preceding, the following general research questions could be posed. The questions
help to direct the research and guide data collection through inductive reasoning (Lodico,
Spaulding, & Voegtle, 2010):
1. What are teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its effect on
students?
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2. How do teachers interpret their impact on students’ participation in the BIC program?
Rationale for the Study
It is assumed that providing basic needs, such as food, will benefit the well-being of
students. Schools can nurture these basic needs through programs such as Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC). It is anticipated that there will be some resistance on the part of stakeholders
in implementing programs such as BIC. Throughout this study, factors influencing stakeholders’
perceptions on the BIC program will be examined. Historical research has given insight on the
perception of food service coordinators who are responsible for preparing and serving the meals
through BIC. Perceptions of administrators have also been discussed as they are the ones who
have to make budget decisions and will determine if implementing a program, such as BIC, is
feasible for their school or district. Teachers are expected to implement BIC into their daily
routine, but their opinions on the matter have often been overlooked. This study will contribute
to the existing body of research by exploring the perceptions of teachers with regard to the
impact of BIC on academic performance and/or behavior and how these perceptions influence
BIC implementation and participation.
The Researcher
The researcher is a West Tennessee native and earned her bachelor’s degree in Early
Childhood Education in 2002. Shortly after graduating, she was hired as a preschool teacher in a
rural, West Tennessee school. In preschool, breakfast was served in the classroom daily and
students were able to practice social skills as well as good table manners while consuming their
breakfast. By providing breakfast in the classroom, students are able to eat breakfast together in
a family-style setting. During the allotted time for breakfast, students can practice socialization
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and life skills (Los Angeles Unified School District, n.d.). In 2010, the researcher earned her
master’s degree in school counseling. She was transitioned into a high school counselor position
after nine years in the elementary classroom. In 2014, the researcher earned her Educational
Specialist degree in Educational Leadership. During her studies, the researcher began her
research on the relationship between leading healthy lifestyles and student performance. The
researcher enrolled in a doctoral program in 2015. Through her continued research at the
doctoral level, the researcher began to narrow her topic down to the effect of the School
Breakfast Program (SBP) and eventually the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program on
students. Further research revealed the importance of including stakeholder perceptions in the
study. According to the USDA (2017), stakeholder support is imperative in order to have a
successful school breakfast program. The researcher decided to focus on the perceptions of
teachers since they are the ones who deal with the program first-hand on a daily basis. The
researcher is in her 16th year as an educator and aspires to continue serving as an educator at the
college level.
The researcher is connected to this research in that she has seen the benefits of nurturing
students holistically. Schwartz (2015) stated that students who have opportunities to develop in
different ways will be more engaged in learning. Part of this developing includes providing
basic needs such as food. Salem Public Schools (2013) stated that skipping breakfast can impact
students’ health, as well as students’ academic performance. Students who skip breakfast were
reported to have problems focusing, increased disciplinary issues, and impairments in academic
performance. The researcher has noted positive behavioral and academic changes in her students
who participated in BIC. The researcher is committed to the total well-being of students and has
chosen this topic in order to research the effect of providing basic needs, such as food, through
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school initiatives, such as BIC, before moving to more complex needs.
Limitations and Delimitations
The data for this study are delimited to one rural, West Tennessee high school.
Therefore, the date may not apply to high schools in other regions. Participation in the study is
delimited to teachers who had been teaching in the high school since the school’s
implementation of BIC and who taught 12th graders. The research questions are delimited to
teachers’ perceptions of BIC and do not take into consideration other factors that may affect the
implementation of and participation in the BIC program. Limitations include the sample size
which consists of six teachers and data for one of each of the teacher’s students. This makes the
data less generalizable and transferrable to a larger population. A further limitation includes the
time of the study which is over three months during the spring semester. The data are limited in
implementation methods used for providing BIC. It is assumed that selected teachers will
willingly participate in the study. This assumption will be supported by making participation in
the study voluntary and protecting the identity of participants through coding.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are used throughout this qualitative grounded theory case study
which deals with the perceptions of teachers on the Breakfast in the Classroom program.
1. Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) - The breakfast in the classroom initiative takes the
traditional school breakfast approach and improves it with one key ingredient: the
classroom. Breakfast becomes available to everyone – no matter the income level – and it
is eaten after the opening bell. This makes it possible for all children to participate
(Breakfast in the Classroom, 2014).
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2. School Breakfast Program (SBP) – A program providing cash assistance to states to
operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions.
The Food and Nutrition Service administers the SBP at the federal level, state education
agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate
the program in schools (USDA, 2017).
3. Stakeholder – Someone who has a vested interest in the success and welfare of a school
or education system. This includes all parties that are directly affected by the success or
failures of an educational system, as well as those indirectly affected (Roundy, 2017).
4. Perception – The way in which something is understood. A person’s thoughts about a
particular subject or thing (Macmillan Dictionary, 2017).
5. Hierarchy of Needs – Developed by Maslow; A motivational theory in psychology
comprising a five tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within
a pyramid (McLeod, 2007).
6. Behavior - Observable activity of an organism; anything an organism does that involves
action and/or response to stimulation (Dugatkin, 2012).
7. Academic achievement/performance - Performance outcomes that indicate the extent to
which a person has accomplished specific goals that were the focus of activities in
instructional environments...a multifaceted construct that comprises different domains of
learning (Steinmayr, Meibner, Weidinger, & Wirthwein, 2014).
8. Food Insecurity - a household-level economic and social condition of limited or
uncertain access to adequate food (USDA, 2017).
Summary
It is pertinent that the basic needs of students be met in order for them to move on to and
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successfully satisfy higher level needs. One basic need that schools nurture is that of satisfying
hunger through the School Breakfast Program (SBP). In order to make breakfast available to all
students and to overcome barriers of traditional SBPs, many states have implemented the
Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program. By providing breakfast to all students, it is believed
that students will be able to overcome the negative effects of hunger and achieve more in school.
This study examines teachers’ perceptions on the BIC program and its effectiveness for their
students.
In Chapter 1, the researcher provided a description of the research problem and identified
the rationale for the study, which is to fill the gap in current research related to the perceptions of
educational stakeholders related to the implementation and impact of BIC. Research questions
were provided which will help to guide the data collection. A qualitative case study design was
chosen to gain a better understanding of the limited teacher and student perceptions that were
included in this study. By gaining these stakeholders’ perceptions, it can be determined what
factors affect the implementation of BIC.
Chapter 2 provides a review of existing literature in relation to the research problem and
purpose of the study. The chapter also includes the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that
helped shape the proposed study. Information is also provided in relation to the importance of
breakfast consumption and the consequences of skipping breakfast and inadequate nourishment.
The review includes historical and theoretical literature in relation to the topic, further
rationalizing the study.
In Chapter 3, an explanation of the research methodology is given for the proposed study.
A grounded, qualitative case study was determined to be the most suitable method for this
research. Data collection and analysis were discussed, along with possible limitations to the
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study. Chapter 4 will provide a presentation of the study’s findings, and Chapter 5 will provide a
summary and interpretation of the findings as well as suggestions for future research.
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Chapter 2: Review of Literature
The review of literature is organized to cover different topics important to the
development of school breakfast programs. The first sections address how adolescents develop
and how skipping breakfast and food insecurities can have long term effects on students’ health
and academic performance. The literature review continues to discuss the negative relationship
between hunger and students’ behavior. The fourth section of the review of literature shares the
variety of nutrients that are normally consumed during breakfast and how school breakfast
programs can ensure that students receive the proper nutrients needed to start their school day.
The next two sections will explore the history of school food programs. The emergence of
school breakfast programs such as Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), which was designed to
increase participation in school breakfast consumption, will also be discussed. Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs was reviewed as the theoretical framework related to this research, and the
concept that BIC will have a positive significant impact on student behavior and performance
was introduced as the conceptual framework. The conceptual framework also includes a
discussion of how stakeholder perceptions can adversely affect the success of such programs as
BIC. Literature related to the topic is discussed that includes how BIC can contribute to
improved health, social skills, attendance, and academic performance of students. There are
several challenges discussed that affect the implementation of BIC and how BIC programs
cannot be successful unless creative ways are found to increase stakeholder buy-in. A special
section is dedicated to increased accountability placed on teachers in relation to high-stakes
testing which could impact whether or not stakeholders would support designating time for such
programs as BIC. A review of literature related to the specific study concludes the literature
review. This section discusses perceptions of principals, teachers, parents, and students on the
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BIC and shares concerns and success stories related to the programs implementation.
The articles discussed in the literature review come from peer-reviewed, scholarly
references. Most articles referenced are dated within the last 10 years, with the exception of a
few used to discuss Maslow’s hierarchy of needs under the theoretical framework section, one
source that discussed a study conducted on college biology students that was related to breakfast
consumption, and three sources used to provide information related to the history of test-related
accountability in schools. Several databases were utilized in gathering relevant literature using
the key words listed in Chapter 1.
Broad Historical Literature
Adolescent Development
School-age children are at an important stage in their lives where they need adequate
nourishment in order for proper cognitive development to take place. Ogunsile (2012) stated that
the swift development of adolescents requires them to consume certain nutrients and vitamins in
order to develop properly. Malnourishment results in adolescents who do not receive the proper
nutrients. Malnourishment can have adverse effects not only on the health of adolescents, but it
can have short and long term effects on students’ academic performance.
In the United States, 16 million children are currently living in households where there is
food insecurity (Felling, 2013). The U.S. Census Bureau reported that only 35% of parents of
six to 11 year olds ate breakfast with their children, and only 22% of parents with middle and
high school-aged students ate breakfast with their children (Sepe, 2009). Breakfast can help
students receive the nutrients they need to effectively start their school day. Teachers reported
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improvement in students’ concentration, academic performance, behavior, and attendance for
those that ate breakfast regularly (Felling, 2013).
Skipping Breakfast
It has been argued that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that skipping
it could adversely affect an individual’s judgment and performance, along with other long term
effects. Often times, students who do not consume proper nutrients during breakfast rarely make
up for these deficiencies even when they eat lunch and breakfast. Not eating breakfast can lead
to a higher daily caloric intake as students may skip breakfast and lunch and then overeat after
school. Students who do not eat breakfast tend to be sluggish and less focused or prepared to
start their school day. When one awakes from a night’s sleep, he or she has typically gone eight
hours or more without eating. Breakfast serves as a source of fuel that provides the energy
needed to successfully start the day. Just as a car needs fuel to run, the human body also needs
fuel to function properly. Skipping breakfast can lead to inadequate nutrients and leave a student
tired, unable to concentrate, and unable to behave in an appropriate way in the classroom
(Australian Red Cross, n.d.).
Skipping breakfast only once has no significant impact on a student. However, habitual
skipping of breakfast can have detrimental effects. Boschloo et al. (2012) reported that the
regular skipping of breakfast did have an impact on school performance. A study including 605
high school students showed that students who habitually skipped breakfast demonstrated lower
performance in school. This study was conducted on higher performing students. Even so, a
relationship between eating breakfast and school performance was still noted. This suggests that
further studies could reveal an even more significant positive relationship on breakfast eating and
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school performance if the study included research on lower performing students.
Adolescents who skip breakfast or experience food insecurities tend to consume fewer
fruits and vegetables. Arora et al. (2012) shared that children who regularly eat breakfast intake
up to five times more fruits and vegetables than those that skip breakfast. School Breakfast
Programs (SBP) such as BIC must meet healthy food guidelines provided by the USDA.
Breakfast served through a SBP can only have 30% of its calories come from fat and no more
than 10% can come from saturated fat (Sepe, 2009). For this reason, BIC helps to provide the
recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables for students, especially for students who
experience food insecurities at home (Storey & Anderson, 2014). There have been contradicting
studies that showed no significant positive relation between SBP’s and the consumption of fruits
and vegetables. One such study was conducted by Fung, McIsaac, Kuhle, Kirk, and Veugelers
(2013) where there was no significant positive relation found between SBP’s and fruit and
vegetable consumption. It was noted that students included in this study were analyzed prior to
and after the SBP implementation rather than during its implementation. Students in the study
were found to more likely bring their own food from home rather than eat the breakfast provided
through the SBP. Therefore, it could not be assumed that the lack of fruits and vegetables
consumed by these students was related to the food offered through the SBP, rather it was related
to the lack of participation in the SBP.
Even though breakfast is extremely important, there are still 12% to 34% of children and
adolescents who regularly skip breakfast (Moore, 2014). School Food (2013) suggested that
skipping breakfast could affect a student’s attention span and students often become fatigued and
attend school less often when they do not eat breakfast on a regular basis. School Food (2013)
17
also mentioned lower academic performance seen in students who skip breakfast. Ogunsile
(2012) suggested that breakfast consumption can positively affect cognitions that can improve
student memory and grades. Students who did not regularly consume breakfast were recorded as
having lower GPAs than their counterparts (Hasz & Lamport, 2012). These students had
difficulty improving their GPA because they lacked sustained energy and memory recall that
those who ate breakfast possessed. This causes additional frustration for these students. The
sensible way to improve energy and memory is to find ways to promote eating breakfast.
Hunger and Behavior
Students who are hungry are more likely to show aggression and anger. These emotions
in the classroom often lead to behavior referrals. By feeding students breakfast, they will
become less irritable and frustrated and, in turn, may have a decrease in behavior referrals.
Overall, a balanced breakfast will lead to higher academic achievement (EOS Foundation, 2017).
In a study involving surveys of Wisconsin teachers, 65% of the teachers participating reported
improved behavior of their students, and 85% reported improved mood for those schools that had
Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) (Salomon, 2009). Students who demonstrate poor behavior
are often removed from the classroom and are sent to in-school suspension or are sent home for a
period of time. This could cause the student to fall behind on their academic assignments, and
they are missing out on the direct instruction provided by a teacher in the classroom setting.
Students who had a balanced breakfast showed sustained energy and were able to stay focused
throughout the school day. Students who are more focused usually demonstrate more on-task
behaviors (Adolphus, Lawton, & Dye, 2013). For this reason, students who eat breakfast show
improved classroom performance and behavior. These factors further support the importance of
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eating a well-balanced breakfast in order to prevent a domino-effect of issues that all stem from
the basic need for nourishment.
Proper Nutrients
Breakfast should be eaten within a few hours of waking up and should provide enough
nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, protein, and calcium, to keep a student energized until lunch
time. Breakfast will also help students meet the daily intake suggested for certain vitamins and
minerals because most students do not receive adequate nutrients from lunch alone (Bar-Dayon,
2010). Vitamin D, for example, has been proven to help boost the immune system. For students,
providing breakfasts high in vitamin D may lead to fewer absences due to illness (American
Academy of Pediatrics, 2015). Consuming such vitamins may also decrease the number of visits
by students to the school nurse, which takes away from time spent in the classroom. Studies
have shown that students who eat breakfast tend to choose healthier foods to eat throughout the
day and have a good chance of meeting their Recommended Dietary Allowances (Thiagarajah &
Torabi, 2009). Skipping breakfast can lead to malnutrition and can contribute to adolescent
obesity and other health issues if the students are not receiving the proper nutrients throughout
the day.
School Breakfast Programs, such as BIC, provide students with foods high in nutrition.
These foods often help students ingest important vitamins and minerals that the students may not
otherwise receive. Fruits and vegetables are some of the foods provided through BIC that
contain vital nutrients, such as fiber. Storey and Anderson (2014) noted a deficit in fiber
consumption for all Americans. Fiber performs many important functions on the human body,
such as lowering the risk of certain diseases. In addition, fruits and vegetables have high levels
19
of vitamin C which is a powerful healing agent. Vitamin C also has positive dental effects. The
consumption of nutrient-dense foods through BIC may provide long-term health benefits to its
participants. The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project (2016) stated ways that schools had
improved the consumption of fruits by their students. Some methods used included displaying
the fruit in an attractive way and making them easily accessible by strategically placing them
next to the cash register in the cafeteria. Some also cut up the fruit to make it easier to eat by
young students. Eighty percent of respondents said they offered a wider variety of fruit choices
to increase the number of students who ate fruit.
Beyond the health and cognitive benefits of eating a well-balanced breakfast, students
eating breakfast on a regular basis can also help the economy. Teaching students the importance
of healthy eating and including certain vitamins and minerals in their diet at a young age will one
day lead to an increase in healthy citizens in the workforce. Good eating habits that are
established at a young age often are continued into adulthood. Illnesses such as diabetes and
heart disease that develop in adolescents will also carry over into adulthood (Kupolati, Gericke,
& MacIntyre, 2015). This can lead to more adults on disability, increased health care costs, and
frequent absences from work. Shaffer (2015) reported that the Pennsylvania health care costs for
hunger related illnesses were over $4,000,000,000. It is important for schools to remove
unhealthy eating options and to provide healthy options such as fruits, vegetables, and whole
grains in its place. All stakeholders must be informed of the long-term effects of healthy eating.
History of School Food Programs
In as early as 1853, states such as New York had already started school nutrition
programs by providing food to students at their vocational school (Gunderson, 2014). However,
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at this point, such programs were not widespread. In 1894, Pennsylvania had joined in the
efforts to fight students’ hunger by providing penny lunches. In the early 1900s, under the
persuasion of Dr. Cheesman A. Herrick, the responsibility of providing such meals was moved
from charities to the actual school board. This ensured that the meals would meet nutrition
guidelines as the program would be led by someone with a home economic background.
Between 1900 and 1908, similar meal programs were established in Boston and Milwaukee, and
by 1910, breakfast and lunch was being served to students in Cleveland. Cleveland also
provided these meals in a designated lunch room. By the mid-1900s, schools across the country
had begun implementing a school food program. Federal aid for such programs began as early
as 1932. Between 1939 and 1942, the number of students participating in school meal programs
increased by over 5,000,000. The programs took a major hit due to the effects of World War II
on the economy. In 1943, additional federal funds were made available to schools to rebuild the
food programs and the National School Lunch Act provided legislation on how these funds were
to be used and what foods could be served. Over the next few years, the act went through a few
amendments making the language clearer and making sure states with higher participation in
school food programs were receiving adequate assistance per the number of students
participating (Gunderson, 2014).
In 1966, the Child Nutrition Act was established, and from it the School Breakfast
Program (SBP) began. SBP was started to provide free or reduced priced breakfast to students
who come from low-income families. The ultimate goal of SBPs was to supply students with
affordable foods high in nutritional value that will better prepare their minds for the rigor of the
school day. SBPs could help to improve food insecurities among students who come from low-
income families (Bartfeld & Ahn, 2011). Observable improvement in test scores and classroom
21
performance may be noted when breakfast is provided in school (Baildon, 2016). In 1969, 40
million students were served through the SBP. In 2015, the number of students participating in
the SBP increased to over 2.3 billion (Poppendieck, 2016). Even with the implementation of the
SBP and this noted improvement in participation, almost half of students that qualified for the
program were not participating. Shaffer (2015) reported that in 2014 Pennsylvania had 750,000
students who qualified for free and reduced lunch that were still not participating in the SBP.
Breakfast in the Classroom (2014) suggested that there were several factors that led to this lack
of participation. Some of these factors included students and parents not being aware of the
program, and the stigma associated with coming from a low income family could deter students
from participating in the program. A stigma existed that the SBP was for poor children, thus
causing students that qualified to not participate (Food Research and Action Center, 2012). In
order to alleviate the stigma associated with the traditional SBP, Universal School Breakfast was
developed. Universal School Breakfast allowed all students to receive free breakfast without
stipulations related to family income (Public Health Law Center, n.d.). Universal School
Breakfast removed the stigma related to income, but it did not eliminate the issue of over-
crowded cafeterias, nor did it cut down on the transition time from the cafeteria to the classroom.
Even with the improvements that were noted with regard to the Universal School Breakfast
program, stakeholders still expressed concern about the program taking away valuable
instructional time.
To overcome barriers to the traditional School Breakfast Program and Universal School
Breakfast, the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) initiative was started. BIC hoped to improve the
school breakfast program by moving breakfast to the classroom and continuing to provide free
breakfast to all students, regardless of their family’s income (Breakfast in the Classroom, 2014).
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Breakfast through BIC is typically delivered to classrooms by student volunteers or served from
carts by cafeteria staff. Students have been noted as being able to settle down faster and be
better prepared to engage in learning after they have eating breakfast (Sepe, 2009). Providing
breakfast in the classroom is hoped to also increase overall participation in a SBP. In a study
conducted on a selected elementary school in San Diego, California, a significant increase in the
number of students who ate breakfast was observed. Prior to the BIC program, only 25% of
students were participating in the SBP. After the BIC’s implementation, the number of students
participating in breakfast increased to over 90% (Dotter, 2013). Schools must think outside the
box and use their creativity to continue to increase the number of students participating in school
breakfast. A panelist surveyed by the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project (2016) emphasized
the importance of using active, rather than passive, strategies to promote food programs. Some
examples they gave included involving school staff in cooking demonstrations or allowing
students to be involved in taste samples. Other suggestions included working with principals and
administrators to change the school environment and to create a meal schedule that best suited
the population of their schools. Taking such active methods will increase buy-in from all
stakeholders and will promote long-lasting, healthy eating habits for students (Kids’ Safe and
Healthful Foods Project, 2016).
By moving breakfast to the classroom, it was assumed that more students would
participate in the program, especially in schools with a high poverty rate. Even though the cost
per student may increase overall when breakfast is moved to the classroom, schools benefit by
reaping some of the benefits provided to higher performing schools. Schools will be less likely
to have to abide by tight government sanctions if they have students with higher achievement.
Furthermore, studies have shown that in social settings, such as schools, students are more likely
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to eat breakfast if they see their friends doing the same (Moore, 2014). For this reason, it would
make sense that more students would participate in the SBP if it is offered to all students and if a
student’s friends are participating. BIC also alleviates the challenge of feeding students in
schools with small cafeterias as seen in traditional SBPs. Overcrowding will not be an issue if
students are fed in their classroom (Sepe, 2009). BIC makes sure that students are not just eating
anything for breakfast, but are being offered a balanced, nutritious breakfast on a daily basis. In
doing so, increased attendance rates will be seen in students as well as a decrease in tardiness.
Students will spend less time visiting the school nurse with hunger-related symptoms and will be
able to have more time to receive direct instruction.
BIC and Academic Performance
Imberman and Kugler (2013) discussed that schools with higher breakfast consumption
reported higher test scores than schools with lower rates of students who participated in the SBP.
According to Paula (n.d.), improved math test scores were seen in students who participated in a
School Breakfast Program (SBP) or who did not skip breakfast. These improved test scores were
especially noticeable in students who were considered low-achieving prior to the implementation
of the SBP and in those who reported a low Body Mass Index (BMI). Additionally, these
students seemed to handle more complex tasks better than those who had not eaten breakfast.
In a study on college biology students, it was found that students who ate breakfast prior
to their biology exam were at an advantage of passing the exam compared to students who had
not eaten breakfast (Phillips, 2005). This study may suggest a trend among students in other
subject areas in relation to test scores and breakfast consumption. This study was significant in
that research has shown a decrease in breakfast consumption with age. Such studies may provide
24
incentives to students, even at the college level, to eat breakfast regularly. Baildon (2016) shared
that children who consume a balanced, nutritious breakfast tend to “work faster and make fewer
mistakes on math problems and to perform better on vocabulary tests than those who ate only a
partial breakfast. They also show improved concentration, alertness, comprehension, memory
and learning.” The benefits of eating breakfast support the need for schools to consider how to
ensure their students are partaking in this meal.
A study discussed by Shaffer (2015) focused on the IQ’s of kindergarten students from a
variety of environments. Kindergarten students who ate breakfast on a regular basis showed
higher IQ scores than those who did not eat breakfast. This was especially evident in the areas of
verbal and performance testing. This stayed true no matter the socioeconomic background of the
students which showed a direct link between eating breakfast and cognitive performance. In
another study by Rahmani et al. (2011), it was revealed that students in an experimental group
who consumed milk on a daily basis over the course of three months showed improved IQ
scores. Since BIC regularly provides milk as a part of its requirements, improved IQ scores
could possibly be seen in the students who participated in the program.
Theoretical Lens and Related Theoretical Literature
Theoretical Framework
Abraham Maslow first developed his hierarchy of needs model between 1943 and 1954.
Maslow sought to understand what motivated humans and what brought them true happiness.
Maslow believed that humans were motivated to act in certain ways. If a student is hungry, then
their main motivation is to satisfy that hunger. All other needs become irrelevant until this need
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is met. This can be problematic in the school setting as students are expected to be engaged in
learning. In his pursuit of knowledge about human motivation, Maslow constructed a hierarchy
of human needs that began with basic needs that had to be met before moving to more complex
needs that led to self-satisfaction. The hierarchy of needs includes psychological, safety, social,
esteem, and self-actualization. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is often depicted in a pyramid with
psychological needs being the base level and self-actualization being the peak of the pyramid.
Maslow believed that humans desire self-actualization, but this can only be achieved once the
need for food, safety, love, and esteem is fulfilled (Pursuit of Happiness, 2016).
It is human nature to desire high achievement. However, high achievement cannot be
reached until lower level deficiency needs are met. A person will only become hungrier until
their need for food is met. One cannot move on to growth needs until their basic psychological
needs are addressed. Furthermore, children whose basic need for food is not met are at a high
risk of developmental delays (Shaffer, 2015). McLeod (2007) stated that man lives on bread
alone, and it is evident when there is no bread. When someone has plenty of bread (or food in
general), then they start to desire higher level needs. One can move from physiological needs,
such as hunger, at this point and can focus their attention on something new. As more needs are
fulfilled, even higher level needs continue to develop. In this way, it is demonstrated how basic
needs are organized into a hierarchy where one level effects advancement to the next level
(McLeod, 2007).
The stress felt by students in relation to living in poverty and receiving inadequate
nutrients can lead to depression, anxiety, aggression, and issues with socialization (Santiago,
Wadsworth, & Stump, 2011). With these symptoms, it becomes difficult for a student to move
through Maslow’s hierarchy levels because they do not feel love, safety, and do not possess a
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high self-esteem. By providing breakfast in the classroom, students’ basic needs can be met,
eliminating some of the negative characteristics associated with food insecurity. BIC can also
offer students opportunities to socialize with their peers so that they can develop meaningful
relationships. In doing so, a student can discover his or her self-worth and become that much
closer to reaching self-fulfillment.
Students feel safe when they have structure and routine. Students may feel unsafe at
home when they cannot predict from where their next meal will come. They pick up on the
inconsistencies of their parents and, in turn, develop higher levels of anxiety and a higher need
for order in their lives (Maslow, 1943). BIC can help students feel safe in that they know they
will have the opportunity to eat a well-balanced breakfast each school day. Shonkoff and Garner
(2011) shared that there is a relation between anxiety experienced during childhood and later
issues with learning, behavior, and overall well-being. This further emphasizes the need for
educators to find ways to alleviate students’ stress related to the deficiency of lower level needs.
Some people never reach self-actualization because they become stuck in between lower
levels due to different life experiences (Nesbitt, 2013). Some of these life experiences,
especially for students, include divorce or death of a parent, illnesses, physical or verbal abuse,
and being transient. Going through one of these situations may lead a student who had
previously shown progression up the pyramid of needs to suddenly regress to a lower level.
Since students may move back and forth on the hierarchy, teachers must continuously assess
their students’ needs to make sure deficiencies are being met (Hanson, 2017). If a teacher
notices a deficiency, the teacher must determine a way to help the student meet his or her needs
in order to show academic improvement.
Some students come to school with a deficiency in their physiological needs and their
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hunger or deficiency becomes their main focus or thought. Some students may not have had
dinner the previous night and no breakfast in the morning (Martin & Joomis, 2007). This makes
it extremely hard to concentrate and nearly impossible to engage in a lesson. Even adults who
are hungry may notice their mind wondering during work, and they may have trouble focusing
on the task at hand because their thoughts are on what they can eat to satisfy their hunger.
Parents’ ability to adapt to adversity can affect how resilient their children will be to overcoming
obstacles. Schools must find ways to satisfy these lower level needs and to build physiological
resiliency (Ogelman & Erol, 2015) before learning can take place. By providing breakfast in the
classroom, schools can ensure students’ basic physiological need for food is met, and students
can focus on higher level needs, such as increased academic achievement and working towards
self-actualization.
Conceptual Framework
It is believed that Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) will impact student behavior and
performance. Students who participate in BIC may demonstrate a change in standardized test
scores and in the number of behavior referrals they receive. Options for Youth (2016) stated that
well-nourished students are better prepared to learn. It also has been reported that there is a
relation between making healthy eating choices and improved grades, memory, alertness, and the
ability to process information. Healthy food can be provided to students through BIC which will
fuel their brains and give them the tools needed to start the day off right. However, the
stakeholder’s perception of the programs’ effectiveness must be considered. Without
stakeholder support, programs such as BIC may not be properly implemented and reach their
potential for success. Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, teachers, parents, principals,
students, nutrition directors, cafeteria staff, and janitorial staff. With regard to stakeholders, the
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USDA (2017) stated the importance of gaining stakeholder buy-in of the BIC program to
increase its success. The support of stakeholders will also make for a smoother transition from
the School Breakfast Program (SBP) offered in the cafeteria to BIC offered to all students in the
classroom. Making such a change will be inevitably difficult, but schools and their stakeholders
must discuss the pros and cons of such programs in order to decide on the best implementation
method for their particular school. To make the change from the traditional SBP to BIC,
teachers’ perceptions in regards to the program will be of the utmost importance (USDA, 2017).
By considering the perceptions of stakeholders, a better understanding of perceived
barriers can be gained and districts can assist schools in effectively implementing the BIC
program. Better understanding for stakeholders may lead to more participation for students. If
more students are participating in BIC, especially students who are experiencing food
insecurities, then more students’ physiological needs will be met. When physiological and
deficiency needs are met, then schools and students can experience increased academic success,
which is the ultimate goal of schools. Additionally, the implementation of BIC can help schools
assist their students in reaching their Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) and to receive a
balanced meal according to the guidelines set forth by the USDA (Shaffer, 2015). In order to
increase support from families and communities, schools can try to educate and involve in the
food program those who are not traditionally in the school setting. Some schools have been
reported to hold community events, such as school health fairs, to share information related to
the importance of eating breakfast and making healthy food choices. Food service directors and
staff are invited at some schools to be a part of school events by setting up a booth and making
themselves available to answer any questions or concerns about the school’s breakfast program
(Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, 2016). This qualitative research will take a closer look
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at the effectiveness of BIC on selected students and the perceptions of teachers on the impact of
the program. It will also take into consideration how teacher perceptions can affect the outcome
of such programs.
Literature Related to the Topic
Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) usually serves prepackaged meals that can be eaten
while morning announcements are made and while teachers take attendance. This helps to
protect instructional time. The Washington Post Editorial (2011) stated that students showed
improved behavior and fewer illnesses were reported when they were not hungry. Breakfast
served through Breakfast in the Classroom had to meet the nutrition guidelines set by the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and, therefore, not only helped with the cognitive
development of students, but also provided a tool to use against the battle with childhood
obesity.
Health Concerns
Some stakeholders believed that BIC in the classroom could contribute to obesity as
some students may eat breakfast at home and then eat again when they arrive at school. Other
students may choose to eat two breakfasts provided in the classroom. On the contrary, the Public
Health Law Center (n.d.) reported that students who were overweight or obese were more likely
to skip breakfast than those students who were at a healthy weight. Students who participated in
the SBP were reported as weighing less than those who did not participate. A study conducted in
New York City discussed by Corcoran, Elbel, and Schwartz (2016) revealed no increase in
caloric intake of students who participated in BIC. In fact, students were noted as consuming
more beneficial vitamins and nutrients when participating in BIC. Additionally, there was
30
nothing indicating that BIC would increase the Body Mass Index (BMI) of students or the
likelihood of increasing obesity.
Schools that offer a SBP are required to provide each participant with at least one-fourth
of their daily need for certain nutrients (McIndoo, 2017). Foods offered through BIC, such as
fruits and vegetables, are low in calories and can satisfy hunger for an extended period of time
(USDA, 2014). Students who consume foods that satisfy hunger will most likely not overeat or
snack throughout the day and may have a positive effect on childhood obesity. Students who
come from low-income families are at higher risk of food insecurities and of skipping breakfast
(Deshmukh-Taskar et al., 2010). For these reasons, these students are at higher risks of
becoming overweight or obese. Obesity will not only affect students’ health, but it most likely
will cause social issues as well since obese students are more likely to have negative body
images of themselves and low self-esteem. Halfon, Larson, and Slusser (2012) shared that obese
students included in their study showed an increase in behavior problems and issues with their
ability to remain attentive. Halfon et al., (2012) continued to share that obesity can lead to other
health issues such as headaches, allergies, and depression. Higher rates of diabetes are also
found in children with obesity which can lead to issues with the eyes, skin, teeth, kidneys,
cardiovascular system, and other internal and external parts of the body (National Diabetes
Education Program, 2014). Participating in programs such as BIC where healthy foods are
served on a regular basis can counteract risks associated with obesity. Donin et al. (2014) found
that eating breakfast regularly decreased the likelihood of children developing certain diseases
such as diabetes. Also, consuming a well-balanced breakfast can help lower the billions of
dollars spent on medical costs that are due to high rates of childhood obesity (Wang, McPherson,
Marsh, Gortmaker, & Brown, 2011). Another benefit of schools that participate in a USDA
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funded nutrition program is that they are required to have a school wellness policy in place. This
helps schools to create healthier school environments that support the holistic well-being of their
students (Hayes & Berdan, 2013) and decreases chances of students developing diseases later in
life that will create a strain on health care costs.
Nurses who worked in Denver Public Schools reported that 25% of the health conditions
they see students for are related to hunger issues. Some of these hunger-related symptoms
included headaches, dizziness, and stomachaches. School psychologists reported that often times
they could calm students down who visited their offices by providing them with food and/or
water (Schwisow & Butler, 2015). Providing breakfast in the classroom can give students the
nourishment they need in order to be successful in the classroom rather than having to leave the
classroom due to food-related behaviors and symptoms.
Socialization
Meyer (2016) suggested that BIC could also be used to improve the social skills of
students. While eating breakfast, students have time to interact and communicate with each
other and can be taught how to do so while using proper etiquette and table manners. Eating
breakfast in the classroom allows students to enjoy a meal in a family-style setting which in turn
promotes social and communication skills (Academy for Enriched Sciences, 2017).
The classroom environment plays a major part in student behaviors, engagement, and
overall performance (Responsive Classroom, 2011). BIC can help to create a positive social
environment creating more responsibility for the students and a sense of autonomy. For families
that are transient, BIC can help students to adapt quicker to new settings as they have the
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opportunity to socialize and get to know their classmates at the beginning of each school day.
One teacher observed her students being more helpful and acting as a family when they
participated in classroom breakfast. Stress and being threatened contributes to a students’ ability
to learn. By serving breakfast in the classroom, students who have experienced anxiety can feel
welcome and accepted (Responsive Classroom, 2011). Meyer (2016) believed students who are
visual learners could benefit from using breakfast to introduce lessons from different subject
areas such as math or health education. These learners may retain more information by applying
the information in real-life-situations.
Attendance
Students who participate in BIC show a better attendance rate than their classmates who
do not participate. Chronic absenteeism has an adverse effect on academic performance. When
students are present to receive instruction, they are more likely to be successful at meeting
standards and are better prepared for testing. In a study comparing schools with BIC to schools
without BIC, there was shown a significant increase in attendance of students in the schools with
BIC (Anzman-Frasca, Djang, Halmo, Dolan, & Economos, 2015). Poor attendance has been
linked to future undesirable behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse and can contribute to
unemployment and financial problems. In Philadelphia, urban schools reported that good
attendance in math classes seemed to assist in closing the achievement gap on math test scores
between minority and non-minority students. Lower reading achievement was also noted for
students with poor attendance (Gottfried, 2010). Since BIC has been linked with improved
attendance, schools should consider implementing such programs as a means to promote good
attendance and high academic achievement.
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Academic Performance
BIC has been shown to improve the attendance of its participants. The program also
provides essential nutrients that will improve cognition. If students improve their cognitive
development, then they will also improve their academic performance. Even though some
stakeholders were concerned with the loss of instructional time to serving breakfast, one study
found no significant negative impact with regard to the academic performance of students
participating in BIC (Anzman-Frasca et al., 2015). Corcoran, Elbel, and Schwartz (2016) stated
that cognitive performance can be affected by the nutritional value and time of day that students
consume breakfast. Furthermore, serving breakfast in schools with high rates of poverty tended
to improve academic performance. One particular study randomly assigned students to groups
that each received different types of breakfast or no breakfast at all. The students who received a
breakfast that was high in nutritional value, giving them energy, performed better on tests related
to numbering and creativity. A different study showed that the timing of breakfast was
significant to academic performance. Students in the study who ate breakfast before school
showed no significant improvement in test scores. However, students who ate breakfast at
school in the classroom within 30 minutes of testing performed better overall on the test
(Corcoran, Elbel, and Schwartz, 2016). A study on BIC and academic performance showed
mixed results. Traditionally low-performing students showed significant gains in math and
reading scores after they began participating in BIC. However, students who already
participated in a SBP showed no significant gains when they began the BIC program. There was
no evidence of impact of BIC on academic achievement in English Language Arts (ELA) or in
mathematics. In another study, no long-term effect was found on the grades of students who
participated in BIC. A short term effect was noted since students’ test scores improved when
34
breakfast was consumed prior to testing (Corcoran, Elbel, Schwartz, 2016).
Challenges
It is not an easy job to incorporate breakfast into schools. With the changes made to
nutritional guidelines, nutrition directors and cafeteria staff must rethink the food they serve to
students and how the food is prepared. Cafeteria staffs are often expected to serve large amounts
of students on a low budget and within a short time frame. On top of this, food service workers
are often met with resistance and complaints from students and other stakeholders (Kids’ Safe
and Healthful Foods Project, 2016). When considering incorporating BIC at a school, there are
some challenges that must be addressed. Oregon Department of Education (2015) discussed
several of the challenges. The cost of implementing a breakfast program must be considered.
Additional funding will be needed for food and staff to prepare and serve the food. Additional
custodial staff may also be necessary. Schools and districts must also address the challenge of
time to implement such a program. Proper planning time is needed in order to develop a
functional and effective program. This may look different for different schools. Since federal
funds are being provided for these breakfast programs, accountability may be a challenge that
schools will have to face. Precise recordkeeping will be necessary, and this may be more
difficult when breakfast moves from the cafeteria to the classroom. The desire of BIC is to
increase participation in breakfast programs which means more food will be served and more
food will have to be stored. Additional equipment will be needed to store food, whether it be hot
or cold foods. Another challenge discussed by the Oregon Department of Education (2015) was
the need to increase support and buy-in. Such programs can only be successful if they are
supported by school stakeholders who play a key role in the program’s implementation.
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According to the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project (2016), school food and
nutrition directors reported a few challenges with meeting the nutrition requirements of SBPs.
Fifty-five percent of those who reported difficulty with the program said they had trouble
meeting the requirements for whole-grain foods. Other challenges included keeping food
choices low in sodium and calories. These problems mainly stemmed from the cost of food that
met nutrition requirements and trying to keep meal costs within budget. One possible solution
reported was to purchase pre-portioned condiments and commercially prepared and packaged
meals that could be bought in bulk. Cycle menus were also utilized where food service staff
could prepare certain food options that would be served over a period of time and then changed
after so many weeks; usually, food options were changed every two to eight weeks (Kids’ Safe
and Healthful Foods Project, 2016).
To address the cost and adequate staffing issues of implementing BIC, schools can
consider using student volunteers to assist the cafeteria staff with the delivery of breakfast to the
classroom as well as picking breakfast up after the allotted time for breakfast has passed. To
make sure that breakfast is delivered on time and to ensure that there is little to no disruption of
instructional time, cafeteria staff can prepare breakfast packages for the upcoming day in
advance. To increase participation and teacher support, teachers should be allowed to eat
breakfast with their students. This will also allow teachers to model healthy eating and model
good table manners (Sepe, 2009).
There are different delivery methods to consider when incorporating BIC. Each school
must find what works best for them. BIC can be delivered through direct delivery or grab n’ go.
In the particular setting in this study, students are served breakfast in the classroom through
direct delivery. Campbell (2012) stated the benefit of this method is that there is very little
36
disturbance to the daily classroom routine as breakfast is waiting for students as they arrive.
However, direct delivery can be a burden to the teacher as he or she is normally responsible for
taking a breakfast count and estimating the number of breakfast meals that will be needed
throughout the week. For these reasons, teachers may oppose breakfast in the classroom.
Teachers have also expressed concerns about the mess that BIC can cause in the classroom,
possibly resulting in bugs. The feasibility of feeding hundreds, if not thousands, of students
within the first 15 minutes of school has also been a concern.
A concern with the quality and taste of the food provided through BIC was a challenge to
increasing its participation. Veghari and Masourian (2012) conducted a study where students
reported poor food options as a major reason that they did not partake in breakfast at school. Not
only did students show concern with the food quality, but parental interviews revealed concern
from parents as well (Himmelrich, 2011). Interviews with principals shared some barriers to
BIC participation including students arriving late to school and bus schedules that prevented
students from having time for breakfast (FRAC, 2013). Other noted challenges included
students not being hungry at breakfast time and students preferring to sleep over eating during
the allotted time for breakfast (Haesley, Nanney, Coulter, Fong, & Pratt, 2014).
Creating Buy-In
In order to increase buy-in, stakeholders must be made aware of the benefits of BIC so
they can determine if the positives outweigh the negatives. Stakeholders should know that
improved behavior and mental health have been reported for students who participated in the
BIC program. Students were also reported as demonstrating lower levels of depression and
anxiety (Dairy Spot, 2016). One school reported improved reading scores after implementing
BIC (Beck, 2014), and further research shared that students who ate breakfast on a daily basis
37
scored significantly higher on math tests and had higher graduation rates (Bakies, 2014). School
nurses have noted the benefits of BIC. Dairy Spot (2016) stated that with the implementation of
BIC, nurses had fewer reports of students visiting their offices with hunger-related symptoms.
Prior to BIC, these students would miss important instructional time while spending time in the
nurse’s station.
Once stakeholders are informed of the benefits to consuming a nutrient-rich breakfast,
then stakeholders should be informed of success stories in implementing BIC and increasing
participation. Josephson (2013) shared several stories about districts that had implemented a
SBP. In the Houston Independent School District, it was reported by their General Manager of
Operations that serving breakfast in the classroom increased the number of breakfast served from
30% before the breakfast program was implemented to 81% in the schools included in the
piloted study. The pilot schools received free breakfast in the classroom. An increase in
attendance, decrease in behavior referrals, and an increase in math test scores was found in a
later study. The Houston Independent School District gave support to its stakeholders by
providing toolkits specifically developed for teachers and administrators. Other contributions to
the program’s success included a high level of community and stakeholder involvement.
In another study discussed by Josephson (2013), a “Breakfast to Go” program
implemented in St. Paul, Minnesota was evaluated. After this program was put in place, St. Paul
Public Schools noted an increase in breakfast participation from 32% to 62% of its 39,000
students. A BIC program in North Carolina credited the superintendent and community’s buy-in
to its success. The schools involved were able to partner with different organizations in order to
properly implement the BIC. By involving the community, awareness of the program became
widespread. North Carolina took advantage of the media to get the word out about their BIC
38
program. In 2013, the number of students being fed through the breakfast program increased by
6,000 (Josephson, 2013).
Since eating breakfast has been shown to positively impact student academic and
behavioral performance, finding ways to increase participation in SBPs should be placed at high
importance. Studies conducted on schools with successful SBPs in place help to emphasize the
importance of stakeholder support. The data provided in the literature showed stakeholders that
even though the initial implementation of BIC may be a hassle, the long term effects could make
it worth the while. Increased support of the BIC program could lead to a collaborative effort to
overcome any barriers to its success.
Accountability
According to the Education Projects in Education Research Center (2004), schools have
become more accountable for high-stakes standardized tests. Schools and individual educators
have become responsible for student performance, especially on tests. The National Academy of
Sciences (1999) shared that there has been a shift in focus from the input (increasing the
availability of books or lowering the student to teacher ratio) to the output of schools (student
achievement). Schools that are considered high-performing are often rewarded. However, some
felt that this took responsibility off of the students themselves. Teachers were driven to improve
student performance because their jobs depended on it. Students, on the other hand, suffered no
consequences for performing poorly on tests and, therefore, had no motivation to work hard and
perform well (National Academy of Sciences, 1999). Policy makers have begun to think of ways
to hold students accountable for their own performance. Some ideas include making test scores a
determinant for graduation or moving from grade-to-grade. This would alleviate social
promotion or allowing students to be promoted in order to stay with their cohort. Instead,
39
students would be placed in a grade according to their academic performance based on the
mastery of standards. Unfortunately, retaining students showed no increase in academic
achievement and often resulted in higher dropout rates (National Academy of Sciences, 1999).
Test scores are becoming a main determinant for student achievement. To ensure that
taxpayer dollars are being put to good use, educators feel the added pressure of accountability
from the state. In some states, teacher evaluations and pay are based on the test scores of their
students (McKenzie & Kress, 2015). Students must also take responsibility for their
performance.
Accountability requires increasing the rigor of standards and finding means of measuring
student gains towards meeting such standards (McKenzie & Kress, 2015). A number of tests are
required at different grade levels in the areas of English, math, and science. Schools are
expected to meet performance targets in order to make adequate yearly progress (AYP). Schools
that do not meet these targets can be severely punished (Educational Projects in Education
Research Center, 2004). Those who support high-stakes accountability feel that by making
expectations clear and creating a way to measure student growth and achievement will encourage
teachers and students to perform at their best. Opponents of such accountability feel that
teachers are forced to “teach to the test” and are no longer able to use creativity in the classroom.
They also feel that programs, such as the fine arts, that are not linked to high-stakes testing will
lose support and could be possibly be cut from schools all together. Furthermore, opponents feel
that standardized tests are not a fair measure of a teacher’s effectiveness because there may be
underlying, uncontrollable factors that lead to poor test scores (By the People, 2005). One
outside factor that could contribute to lower test scores is hunger. Students who come to school
hungry, especially on test days, are not prepared cognitively to perform well. BIC could help to
40
eliminate this factor. Suggestions to improve upon effectiveness measures have included
focusing on performance-based evaluations and rewarding individual teachers for their success.
In order to promote the hiring of highly qualified teachers, it is suggested to establish salary
levels. New teachers and teachers who demonstrate low effectiveness should be offered training
and/or mentoring in order to give them the support they need to improve. Using these techniques
can lead to increased learning and productivity in the classroom (By the People, 2005).
A major mission of most schools is to find ways to help improve student test scores and
to have a greater number of students to score proficient or advanced on standardized tests.
Stakeholders must keep an open mind to creative ways in promoting academic success. Smith
(2011) reflected on the Iowa Breakfast Study and shared that students who do not eat breakfast
will experience lower mental capacity throughout the day. Providing breakfast to all students
can help improve students’ cognitive performance and better prepare them for test-taking.
Students who meet their Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) have shown improvement in
standardized test scores. This, in turn, can help schools meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
and not become a target or high-priority school. These benefits to eating breakfast support the
need for programs such as BIC.
Specific Literature Related to the Current Study
There is minimal research available on the perception of teachers on the Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) program, even though they are a major factor in the success of such programs.
Identifying perceived issues with BIC, as perceived by the stakeholders, can guide decision-
makers in rethinking and remodeling BIC programs in order to increase participation and to
ensure proper implementation. Christina (2015) stated the importance of having stakeholder
41
support when implementing programs such as BIC. Previous research has included the
importance of gaining support from different educational stakeholders.
Principals
The principal can determine the effectiveness of BIC and can promote other stakeholders
to buy-in to the program. Principals serve as role models for teachers and their perception of
BIC can influence how well the program is implemented. Principals also determine the school
environment and what programs will be implemented in their school in order to promote a
positive learning environment. Principals can directly affect students’ success by providing them
with means to fuel their bodies and increase their cognitive performance through the School
Breakfast Program (USDA, 2017).
A study discussed by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC, 2013) interviewed
principals of schools who participated in BIC and shared their perception of the program.
Seventy-eight percent of the principals interviewed were in support of the program and would
recommend it to other school leaders. Resistance from teachers and a lack of adequate janitorial
and cafeteria staff were some issues reported to implementing the program. Overall, almost half
of the principals found no issues with the implementation process, and in Memphis City Schools,
principals reported a high percentage of support from the community. Breakfast was reported as
an incentive to students and more students were arriving on time so that they could participate in
BIC. Approximately 35% of the principals reported an improved environment, both in the
individual classroom and for the school overall. Principals and other school leaders also enjoy
the benefit of additional federal funding provided to schools and districts that serve breakfast to a
large percentage of students from low-income families (Shaffer, 2015).
42
Federal reimbursement for school breakfast can help cover the extra cost associated with
serving breakfast in the classroom. These expenses include the cost of food and support staff to
run the program. The USDA and other organizations are able to provide support for staffing
related to a SBP. Other schools within a district can be a resource (Sepe, 2009). One particular
school utilizes its agriculture department and students to grow and provide certain vegetables to
other schools within their district. This can be cost effective and make SBP’s more feasible for
schools.
Teachers
Teachers play a key role in the implementation of BIC. Students look to their teachers to
model healthy eating. Teachers can also be creative by incorporating BIC into their lesson plans
(Kupolati, Gericke, & MacIntyre, 2015). However, some teachers may feel unprepared to
present such lessons to students. Additionally, the 10-15 minutes spent eating breakfast in the
classroom may not be perceived as enough time to incorporate a lesson. According to Kupolati,
Gerick, & MacIntyre (2015), several teachers interviewed were reported as believing that
educating students on healthy eating practices and providing a healthy breakfast at school could
impact eating choices outside of the school setting. When this occurs, parents and other
members of the community may also participate in making healthy food choices.
Teachers may perceive Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) as a burden because they are
held accountable for their students’ achievement and fill that the program takes away from their
teaching time. Teachers are protective of their instruction time and feel they are already limited
on the amount of time they have to cover standards and prepare students for tests. Teachers do
not want to lose any instruction time to serving breakfast. Some teachers who administer
breakfast in their classrooms have stated there was no interruption to instruction by serving
43
breakfast. In fact, these teachers reported that students were more attentive after eating breakfast
in the classroom, and the teachers were able to deliver higher quality lessons as students were
more interactive and alert (Sepe, 2009). According to Salomon (2009), 64% of Wisconsin
teachers involved in a study about teacher perceptions of BIC reported that loss of instructional
time was not a barrier to BIC, and 77% noted improved academic performance of their students
since the implementation of BIC. This may be due to students being able to come directly to the
classroom to eat breakfast rather than having to go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast and then
spend valuable minutes transitioning to the classroom before instruction can begin. Even though
it is suggested that students can eat breakfast while completing bell ringers or morning
assignments, some teachers may feel that this may be too much of a distraction (Meyer, 2016).
Other challenges teachers may face with the implementation of BIC are an increased workload or
the mess that may be created in the classroom. Some teachers have reported that the mess and
workload have not been barriers to BIC in their schools. Food service staff and nutrition
directors often work to find ways to keep the classroom clean even with breakfast being served.
Trash cans are often provided so that students can clean up behind themselves. Food is often
served in individually wrapped packages lowering the chance for spills. Teachers have also
reported that they assign student helpers to ensure that everything is clean once breakfast time is
over (Sepe, 2009). A few teachers even reported a decrease in their workload (Salomon, 2009).
According to ProTeacher (2017), teachers have reported other reasons for opposing BIC.
One of these reasons included confusion on what to do when students arrive late to school.
Students and their parents expect for these students to still receive breakfast even though the
teacher may have already taken a breakfast count and sent the remaining breakfasts’ back to the
cafeteria. Expectations for teachers should be clear in such situations.
44
At Charles Carroll Barrister Elementary School, teachers are trained on the components
included with breakfast in the classroom and how to fill out breakfast forms. At Sarah Roach
Elementary School, 15 minutes are allotted in the morning for breakfast. However, breakfast
carts are not picked up by custodial staff until almost an hour after the allotted time. This allows
students who arrive late to school to still participate in BIC (Sepe, 2009). Being prepared in
advance may help teachers feel more comfortable with serving breakfast in their classroom and
may help the program to run smoothly.
Studies shared by the USDA (2017) showed that there are a variety of benefits to starting
the day with a healthy, well-balanced breakfast. Student behavior can improve with the proper
nourishment as well as attention and overall academic performance can improve. These are
benefits that will positively affect the teacher as well. A well-implemented BIC program can
actually assist teachers in helping their students reach their goals and to make daily progression.
Since teachers are on the frontlines of implementing BIC, input from them related to why
students choose not to participate in the program could be vital. Teacher perceptions and
suggestions on how to improve BIC could be beneficial to increasing its participation rates.
Parents
Parents are also a key to student perceptions of the importance of breakfast. Some
parents are opponents to BIC. In a study conducted by Askelson et al. (2017), parents completed
surveys revealing their barriers to supporting the BIC program. Some parents reported not being
aware of the importance of eating breakfast and its relation to academic performance. Others felt
there was still a stigma tied to the students for whom the SBP was originally intended. Parents
may worry that their students are losing valuable instructional time while eating breakfast in the
classroom. One parent who has children in a Chicago public school stated that, “Instructional
45
time is so important to us. And the federal and state standards that have been imposed on our
school leave very little wiggle room for extra things” (Chen, 2017).
Mornings can be hectic for parents and sometimes students have to come to school on an
empty stomach, making them unprepared to learn. In order to better prepare students for their
school day, a SBP may be necessary. By providing breakfast in the classroom, parents will
benefit as well since they will not have to find time or the means to fix breakfast for their child or
children in the short period of time available in the mornings between waking and the time
school begins (USDA, 2017). Some parents also reported that their student(s) had more time to
build meaningful relationships through BIC and were influenced by their friends to try new
foods, foods they otherwise may have never tried at home. These foods may include more fruits
and vegetables (Folta et al., 2016). Parent buy-in can also be achieved through involving the
parents in the school breakfast program.
Sepe (2009) reported that General Wolfe Street Academy in Baltimore, Maryland,
allowed parents of younger students to assist their children with breakfast. Some parents do not
want to simply drop their child off in a carpool line and then pull off to not see their child again
for several hours. Allowing parents to assist with feeding their child breakfast will give them
one last chance to say goodbye to their child and help them get off to a good start of the school
day. It can also help teachers and custodial staff as parents can clean up behind their own
children and provide assistance with supervision during breakfast time. Samples of food served
through BIC can also be made available in settings such as parent-teacher conferences so parents
can taste for themselves the types of food their children are eating. Opportunities can also be
offered for families to come and eat breakfast with their children in the classroom (Kids’ Safe
and Healthful Foods Project, 2016).
46
Charles Carroll Barrister Elementary School in Baltimore found ways to involve parents
in the school breakfast program. A banner was placed outside the school promoting BIC and
information related to the program is included in parent newsletters. The cafeteria staff invites
parent volunteers to help pack food the afternoon before it would be served. This was helpful to
save on time and when the cafeteria was short on manpower. Parents could feel a sense of
belonging making the school environment welcoming. Parents could also see the quality of food
that their students were eating through the BIC program (Sepe, 2009).
Students
Students’ perceptions of BIC can affect the amount of participation in the program.
Many students are concerned with their body image and have become victims of body shaming.
Some students have gone to extremes and have tried drastic measures to lose weight such as
bulimia or anorexia. Studies have shown this to be more prevalent in female students than in
male students. These students may feel that by participating in BIC, they will be increasing their
caloric intake and, therefore, risk gaining weight (Pettit, Jacobs, Page, & Porras, 2010). For this
reason, students may choose to not participate in the program. All students need to be provided
means of improving their emotional intelligence. Students also need to be made aware of the
benefits to eating breakfast.
Students may also not like the item choices provided by BIC. Some students would
arrive at school and look at the breakfast before they would determine if they would participate
in breakfast. Students reported that they enjoyed BIC compared to the traditional SBP because
they had time to interact socially with their friends before they were expected to sit quietly and
engage in the learning process. Students also reported being hungrier during the time that BIC
was offered rather than when they had to arrive before school during the traditional SBP (Folta et
47
al., 2016). These are some reasons associated with student perceptions of BIC that might
influence participation in the program.
Another way to get students to participate in BIC is to get them involved in process.
Sepe (2009) reported that Charles Carroll Barrister Elementary School allowed student helpers to
deliver breakfast to classrooms in the mornings. Some schools may even allow students to earn
community service hours by being a helper. Classroom helpers were also designated by teachers
to assist with clean up and any accidental spills. This gave students responsibility and a sense of
belonging. It was also an incentive to be on time for school as the student helpers had to be
ready to serve breakfast first thing in the morning. Structuring the BIC program in such a
manner proved to increase participation and decrease tardiness and absences (Sepe, 2009).
Additionally, Sepe (2009) suggested other creative ways to get students involved in breakfast in
the classroom. Some of these ideas included allowing students to serve on a Breakfast Advisory
Council where they could express concerns and suggestions for improving BIC on behalf of the
student body. Students could design posters and slogans to promote the BIC program. Students
could also be given the opportunity to sample the different food choices available through BIC
and vote on their favorites (Sepe, 2009). The Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project (2016) said
that allowing students to be involved in taste tests can help to reduce the amount of food waste.
Students have the opportunity to try unfamiliar foods that they otherwise may have never tried.
They may be surprised and find that they actually like these new foods. By considering students
opinions of the food offerings, food service staff can plan to serve food that will most likely not
be wasted (Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project, 2016).
Key stakeholders must be informed of the benefits of BIC. A study discussed by Folta et
al., (2016) stressed the importance of discussing the BIC program with all stakeholders and
48
involving them in the decision-making process. Conversations prior to beginning BIC should be
held to address concerns such as the cost of the program and logistics of its implementation. If
stakeholders gain a better understanding of the program, then the chances for proper
implementation increases and better results may be reported. Ultimately, it is desired that all
stakeholders understand that programs such as BIC can better prepare students to learn and
perform well (Chen, 2017).
Summary
Humans are often times resistant to change. When implementing programs such as
Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), one can expect there to be opposition. It is crucial to have the
support of key stakeholders in order for programs such as BIC to be successful. Even though
some stakeholders might have valid reservations about the program, they must be made aware of
the short and long term benefits of BIC. Some of these benefits include fewer visits to the school
nurse, better attendance, and improved academic performance (Bakies, 2014). Other research
has shown more detailed effects on students’ test scores and a decrease in behavioral incidents.
Limited research exists on teachers’ perceptions of the BIC program. Qualitative
research related to this topic was scarce. A need for research on the perceptions of these key
stakeholders exists as well a need to understand how these perceptions affect the success of BIC.
The literature review explored some challenges to gaining participation and support of School
Breakfast Programs (SBP) such as BIC. There were some studies that provided contradicting
results. Some of the literature found no positive significant impact of BIC on student
performance and behavior. Other studies showed significant improvement in students’ behavior,
health, and academic performance. Students involved in studies discussed in the literature were
also noted as improving social skills through the implementation of BIC. Exploring the
49
perceptions of teachers will add to the existing research by examining why BIC may be more or
less effective in different schools or classrooms. This qualitative case study will also provide
examples of the benefits and limitations to BIC. Chapter 3 will provide a detailed description of
the methodology chosen for the proposed case study.
50
Chapter 3: Methodology
This qualitative study, based on grounded theory, intended to examine the perceptions of
teachers with regard to the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program. The study aimed to
determine if teachers’ perceptions had a significant impact on the implementation and
participation in the BIC program. There is some research available in relation to the barriers of
School Breakfast Programs (SBPs) such as BIC. In large, previous research focused on the
perceptions of some stakeholders, but showed little regard to the perceptions of teachers.
According to the USDA (2017), considering all stakeholders perceptions and gaining their
support is important in order to increase the chance of success of SBPs, especially when
alternative serving methods are selected outside of the cafeteria, such as in BIC. An objective of
this study was to add to the existing body of research by identifying the perceptions of teachers
who are directly affected by the implementation of BIC as they are expected to alter their daily
routines to include BIC. In this study, teachers were able to share what they considered to be
pros and cons of the program and gave their input on what influenced the implementation of and
participation in BIC at their school.
Chapter 3 includes the selected research method with a description of why this method
was most fitting for the study. A description of the study’s participants and setting is also
included. Methods of data collection are shared with consideration given to possible ethical
factors. Data analysis procedures are shared along with measures taken to address triangulation,
validity, and generalizability.
Description of Qualitative Research
This study utilized qualitative research in order to gain insight about the perceptions of
51
teachers in regards to the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program. Qualitative research takes
place in the participants’ workplace or place where the issue occurs (Creswell, 2007). This study
took place in the school to help determine the issues with implementation of BIC by teachers.
Furthermore, the study took a closer look at selected teachers’ perceptions in regards to the
effectiveness of BIC on students’ academic performance and behavior. Qualitative research is
intended to focus on a targeted group. Furthermore, qualitative research considers the groups’
perceptions that drive their behavior. Studying such groups helps to form a hypothesis that leads
to descriptive results. (Qualitative Research Consultants Association, 2017). According to
DeVault (2016), qualitative research moves from specific information to more general
information gained through personal interactions. As data are collected, additional questions and
concepts may develop. True to qualitative research, several methods of data collection were
used in this study to create triangulation and to make the results valid.
Description of the Specific Research Approach
The research approach chosen for this study was a grounded theory case study.
Grounded research has different stages including preparation, data collection, analysis (this is
where coding takes place), memoing, and sorting and theoretical outline (Grounded Theory
Institute, 2014). According to MH Education (2017), grounded theory is based on the concept
that humans’ interpretations of events impact their consequences. Creswell (2007) stated that
grounded theory is a form of qualitative research in which the research forms a theory based on
the views of the participants in the study. Subjects studied through grounded theory form their
outcomes through participation. The methods used during research must be flexible in order to
adjust to the changing needs of the subjects.
52
This study used interviews with teachers to identify their perceptions on BIC. Their
perceptions led to a better understanding of how the program was implemented in each of the
teachers’ classrooms and what led to the low participation rate in BIC. Participation in the study
was voluntary. A case study typically examines people to determine patterns and themes that
may be repeated in the future or in different settings. Case studies also help to identify
underlying issues in relation to a topic allowing for a better understanding of a chosen research
problem (University of Southern California, 2017). Students’ behavioral referrals and test scores
were reviewed in order to gain data supporting whether or not BIC consumption helped to
improve behavior and/or academic performance. Teachers were observed to determine their
method of implementing BIC in their classrooms.
Description of the Study Participants and Setting
The data for this study were collected from a rural West Tennessee Title I high school.
The Title I status meant that at least 40% of the school’s population qualify for free or reduced
lunch according to the income guidelines established by the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA). The objective of this study was to explore teachers’ perceptions within a
selected school. Their perceptions offered a better understanding on issues related to the
implementation of and participation in BIC. Further insight into whether BIC is perceived to
positively impact students’ academic achievement and behavior was also gained. The total
enrollment of the high school was 1068, comprising of 51% males and 49% females. African
Americans accounted for 79% of the student population; 2% of the population were identified as
Asian, multiracial, or unclassified; a little over 3% of the population was Hispanic; and 16% of
the population was identified as Caucasian. Sixteen and a half percent of the student population
had active Individual Education Programs (IEP). Stanberry (2017) defined an IEP as a legal
53
document that addresses the learning ability of students in special education. An IEP also
explains what services a school is required to provide to the student and the tools that will be
used to determine the student’s progress (Stanberry, 2017). One hundred and forty one students
were enrolled in English Language Arts (ELA) interventions, and 80 were enrolled in math
interventions. Six students received English Language Learner (ELL) services. Students in this
particular district were very transient and many students attended multiple schools throughout
their time in high school (Jackson-Madison County School System, 2017).
The study included six teachers who had consistently taught in the high school since the
BIC program was implemented. The teachers identified one 12th grade student from each of
their classrooms whose data was analyzed for the study. Teachers selected students who
qualified for free or reduced lunch and who would most benefit from the Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) program. Students’ identification remained anonymous. The teachers were
made aware of their right to withdraw from the study at any time.
Data Collection Procedures
Interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner which allowed for a more
comfortable and less structured setting (Creswell, 2007). This also allowed teachers to
communicate more freely during their interviews. The teachers were not pressured to participate
in the study. Their participation was strictly voluntary (Shaffer, 2015).
Prior to collecting data, approval from the Carson Newman University Institutional
Review Board (IRB) was obtained. Approval forms were also obtained from the district’s
Leader of Assessment and Accountability (see Appendix A) and the school’s principal (see
Appendix B). The district’s application to conduct research (see Appendix C) explained the
54
research objectives as well as information related to data collection and communication of results
(Shaffer, 2015). Teachers who had taught in the high school since the implementation of BIC
were invited to participate in the study via email (see Appendix D). Teachers were asked to
respond to the email if they were interested in being considered as a participant in the study.
Teachers who responded expressing interest were sent a second email that included a brief
survey (see Appendix E) which would help in gathering general information about the
prospective teachers. Six teachers were selected to participate in the study through the use of
maximum variation sampling. Maximum variation sampling was used to ensure a variety of
teachers were included in the small sample to make it more purposeful (Statistics How To,
2017). Teachers were selected from different subject areas, different races, different years of
experience, and with different opinions in regards to BIC. Some of this information was
collected from the school’s computer information system or through the Tennessee Department
of Education’s online licensure look up. Additional information was also gained through review
of the brief pre-interview surveys that the teachers completed. Teacher approval forms (see
Appendix F) were collected from the teachers chosen to participate in the research. Teachers
were interviewed to determine their perceptions about the influence of BIC on student academic
performance and behavior. Teachers were also interviewed to determine their perceptions about
the BIC program and what implementation looked like in each of their classrooms. Teacher
interviews provided information related to their thoughts on the lack of participation in the BIC
program. A case study design was the best choice in order to reach the objectives of this study.
When determining students whose data was best suited for the study, a list from the
district’s computer information system was printed to identify students within the school who
qualified for free or reduced lunch. Each of the teachers who participated in the study selected
55
one of their 12th grade students who qualified for free or reduced lunch and who had been
enrolled in the high school since the implementation of BIC. English End of Course (EOC) test
scores, behavior reports, and attendance records were retrieved from the district’s computer
information system for each of the selected students. There data was utilized to gain input on the
effects of BIC on student performance.
A series of one-on-one interviews, lasting approximately 30 minutes each, were
conducted with the teachers included in the study to gather their perceptions on the effects of
BIC. The interview responses were analyzed and any necessary changes to the interview
questions and procedures were made. Each semi-structured interview was audio-recorded and
transcribed. Interviews were paced according to an interview guide (see Appendix G). In a
semi-structured interview, an interview guide is created and used. This guide consists of a list of
questions that need to be addressed during conversations with the study participants (Shaffer,
2015). The interviewer has the ability to veer away from the guide if the conversation is led in
another direction (Crabtree, 2006). The researcher kept a journal of any pertinent observations
during interviews. Some personal bias may exist because the researcher had personal experience
with serving breakfast in the classroom, and had a strong interest in promoting healthy lifestyles,
especially for students. In order to avoid bias, the researcher used member checking to make
sure the transcribed information was accurate (Creswell, 2007). Peer debriefing was utilized as
another tool to eliminate bias and to ensure the research remained grounded and driven by data.
Through peer debriefing, collected data were shared with a peer who was not connected to the
research study. The use of an unbiased peer helped to ensure the data were free of the
researcher’s personal opinions and that all data had supporting evidence. The peer would use
probing to identify any unrecognized assumptions that the researcher may have made with regard
56
to the analyzed data. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2008). English End-Of-Course (EOC)
test results of students selected by the teacher participants were collected utilizing the district’s
computer information system. Other reports related to the students were collected including
behavior referrals and attendance reports to identify any changes or patterns in these areas.
Using different sources for data collection is typical of case studies (Creswell, 2007) and allows
for a triangulation of data that will lead to more informed responses to the research questions.
By considering the feelings and experiences of stakeholders who have worked closely
with the BIC program, a clearer picture could be drawn demonstrating what the program looked
like in each classroom. Insight from stakeholders also aided in planning for ways to better
implement the program so that it does not interrupt learning. This grounded theory research
showed how the use of BIC varied depending on teachers’ opinions of its usefulness.
Ethical Considerations
Procedures were taken to ensure that the research met ethical standards. Permission from
the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the school principal of the selected high school, and the
district’s Leader of Assessment and Accountability was obtained prior to the start of data
collection. Qualifying teachers were sent an email invitation, inviting them to participate in the
study. From those interested, six teachers, who represented the diversity of the school, were
chosen to participate in the study. Furthermore, written consent was obtained from participants
before data were collected. The consent forms included information about the purpose of the
study and the general procedures used to collect and analyze data. Efforts were made to protect
the confidentiality of all involved in the research. Participants continued throughout the research
process on a voluntary basis and were informed of their right to discontinue their participation at
57
any time (Creswell, 2007).
Interviews and Transcripts
Prior to conducting interviews, permission was obtained from participants to audio-tape
and to transcribe the conversations. The researcher remained unbiased and stayed true to
grounded theory in that the researcher’s input and opinions were limited, and the study was
approached with no preconceived notions (MH Education, 2017). The identity of the participants
was protected as the researcher used numbers to identify each participant. A fictitious name was
used for the school included in the study. Interviews were transcribed in a location outside of the
school to ensure no one at the school would have access to the information. These transcripts
ensured that the identity of participants and the school were protected (Uwe Flick, 2009). The
teachers were informed of the time and place for interviews prior to them being conducted. An
interview guide was created including the interview questions to be used and the length of time
allotted for each interview (Shaffer, 2015). Having a guide helped to ensure that all interviews
were similar and helped to eliminate personal input and bias from the researcher (Lodico et al.,
2010). Participants were reminded at the beginning and end of each interview that interview
responses remained confidential and that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any
time. After interviews were transcribed at a location away from the school premises, member
checking ensured that interview responses were recorded accurately (Creswell, 2007). During
the transcribing process, participants were identified by assigned numbers to protect their
identity. The transcripts were reviewed for patterns or themes that might have given input
related to the research questions (Shaffer, 2015). The researcher kept, in a separate journal, any
other observed behaviors or comments that were not derived directly from the interview
questions that could help to answer the research questions. After interviews were conducted,
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peer debriefing was used as a means to avoid bias and personal opinions.
Journals
Teachers were given instructions on keeping a journal where they noted any behaviors
observed during the implementation of BIC in their particular classrooms that could give further
insight into how BIC was implemented and why participation in the program was not where it
should be. Journals were collected at the end of each week, and those that contained pertinent
information related to the research questions were saved to be analyzed, while those that did not
seem useful were discarded. Journals were stored in a secure location. Coding was used to
identify themes and to make comparisons between information obtained in interviews and
information obtained through personal journals (Shaffer, 2015). All involved stakeholders were
given an opportunity to review the research report prior to its publication.
Classroom Observations
A walk-through was conducted in each participants’ classroom. The researcher walked
through prior to the morning bell when students were dismissed to their classes to make note of
the layout of the classrooms. An observation checklist (see Appendix H) was created to ensure
that the same things were being looked for in each of the classrooms (Lodico et al., 2010). Each
classroom was also visited as BIC was taking place so that the researcher could take notes on
how breakfast was implemented in each classroom. This information was kept in a secure
location (Creswell, 2007). The information collected from these observations was used to
identify themes that would help to answer the research questions. Triangulation was used to
compare all sources of data and to answer the research questions (Shaffer, 2015).
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Data Analysis Procedures
Coding
Pre-set coding was used to identify the participants of the study, while protecting their
identity. The teachers were referred to as “teacher” followed by an assigned number (Teacher
1). Pre-set codes were created to originally store data such as interviews, observations, journals,
notes, test scores, behavior records, attendance records, and so forth. New codes emerged as
data were reviewed. Some of these codes included “barriers to BIC implementation”, “cons of
BIC”, “food choices”, and so forth. Axial coding was used to identify relations between each
identified category, linking all categories to each other.
Transcribed interviews and journals, which were kept in a secure location, were reviewed
and connections were made so that coding could continue (Creswell, 2007). Observation
checklists and notes went through preliminary analysis along with other data collected, such as
English EOC test scores, behavior reports, and attendance reports. Field notes were used for the
researcher’s journal. The audio-taped interviews were reviewed after each interview and
transcribed. The transcripts were used to identify patterns and categories that were used for
coding based on the perceptions of the stakeholders on BIC.
Several efforts were made to ensure the credibility of the study. Member checking was
used to ensure that interviews were accurately transcribed (Creswell, 2007) and peer debriefing
was used to eliminate bias and assumptions with regard to the data. Interview guides were
created and notes were taken to protect against the researcher’s own personal biases.
Triangulation was used to connect the results of all data sources (Shaffer, 2015). Maximum
variation sampling was used to ensure variations in characteristics of participants, making the
60
sample more purposeful (Lodico et al., 2010). The use of multiple data sources also made the
study more dependable (Shaffer, 2015).
Summary
A qualitative research approach was used in this study in order to derive insight from the
data and make new discoveries and changes as the research process continued. Semi-structured,
one-on-one interviews were conducted allowing for flexibility if needed as the interviews
emerged. The interviews were audio-taped and later transcribed. The transcripts and field notes
were used to identify patterns and to begin to code data. Besides interviews, other data that were
analyzed and considered included interviewer and interviewee journals, test scores, attendance
and behavior reports, and free or reduced lunch status. The data were constantly reviewed and
compared in order to determine pertinent categories in the research and to ensure that the
research question remained valid. This study helped support existing research on the
effectiveness of School Breakfast Programs (SBP) and particularly Breakfast in the Classroom
(BIC). It provided new information related to teachers’ perceptions of BIC and how their
perceptions influenced the implementation of and participation in the BIC program.
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Chapter 4: Presentation of the Findings
The purpose of this grounded qualitative case study was to examine teachers’ perceptions
with regard to the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its impact on students. In some schools,
breakfast was only served to students who qualified for free or reduced lunch according to the
family income guidelines set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In
these cases, a stigma was attached to students who chose to participate in school breakfast
(MacCormack, 2013). This was determined as a contributing factor to the poor participation in
the traditional school breakfast program. BIC was considered an important solution to this
problem because it was a universal breakfast program that offered free breakfast to all students,
regardless of their families’ income. Studies have shown universal classroom breakfast to
increase the number of students who participate in school breakfast, increase attendance, and
decrease tardiness and hunger-related ailments further solidifying the importance of BIC
(O’Connell & Chiang, 2010).
The data collected and analyzed in this study provided a better understanding of teachers’
perceptions of the BIC program’s effectiveness and barriers to the program’s implementation.
Data were collected through open-ended, one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with six high
school teachers. The interviews ranged from 20 to 35 minutes. Other forms of data collection
included a preliminary teacher survey, which was sent to the six selected teacher participants
(See Appendix E), classroom observations with the six selected teacher participants, and
participant and researcher journals. The researcher’s journal included field notes collected from
what was recorded from interviews and classroom observations. At the beginning of the study,
participants were given blank notebooks to use as journals and were asked to take note of
anything they observed during BIC time that was noteworthy and that could contribute to the
62
current research. Participants also included in their journals any thoughts related to the research
that was not mentioned in interviews. All data were kept in a securely locked cabinet to protect
confidentiality. The collection of data from multiple sources allowed for triangulation and
helped to validate the study (Carter, Bryant-Lukosius, DiCenso, Blythe, & Neville, 2014). The
only variation in data collection from that presented in Chapter Three was the use of follow-up
interviews. Originally, it was planned to conduct follow-up interviews to obtain additional
information. However, conversations during the initial interviews which included additional
probing questions, observations, and thoughts shared in the participant journals provided
sufficient information to answer the research questions. Responses to the interview questions
provided further insight on the topic as they were designed with the following research questions
in mind:
1. What are teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its effect on
students?
2. How do teachers interpret their impact on students’ participation in the BIC program?
Participants
Participants in this study came from a public high school in rural, West Tennessee that
served over 1,000 students in grades nine to 12. Students from a variety of public housing
developments and income-based apartments were served at this school. Students from one
mobile home community were zoned to this school. During the 2016-2017 school-year, 47.9%
of the students enrolled at this high school qualified for free or reduced lunch based on their
families income. Free and reduced lunch data were not indicated in the school’s student
information system (SIS) for the 2017-2018 school-year because of the school districts’
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) status. CEP allows schools in high poverty areas to
63
serve free breakfast and lunch to all students without the collection of school meal applications
(USDA, 2016). However, data for the 2017-2018 school-year showed that 49.8% of students
were direct certified economically disadvantaged. This was determined through the review of
other need-based programs in which students participated. Some of the programs used to
determine direct certification in this school included Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF).
Teachers’ participation in this study was voluntary. Teachers expressed their interest in
participating in the study through email. From those who showed interest, maximum variation
sampling was used to select six teacher participants. All of the selected teachers taught 12th
graders in one or more of their classes, and each of the teachers had been teaching in the selected
high school since its implementation of BIC. The six teacher participants’ represented diversity
in years of teaching experience, subjects taught, and gender. A preliminary survey was sent to
teacher participants that gathered demographic data.
The six teacher participants had a range of teaching experience from three to 25 years.
They each taught a different subject area and served students from multiple grade levels. An
equal number of males and females were represented in the study. Crabtree (2006) stated that
maximum variation sampling aids in creating heterogeneity which will provide diversity in the
data related to the research questions. The diversity reported in Table 4.1 is a result of
purposeful sampling and aims to create a good representation of the school’s faculty.
64
Table 4.1 provides demographic information about the participants in the study.
Table 4.1
Demographics of Teacher Participants
Participant
Number
Years
Taught
Grade
Level
Subject Gender
1 0-5 9-12 Marketing Male
2 >15 10-12 Social Studies Female
3 >15 9-12 English Female
4 6-10 9-12 Math Male
5 6-10 9-12 Manufacturing Male
6 >15 9-12 PE Female
Student Achievement Data
Each of the six teacher participants chose one 12th grade student from their class whose
school data could be reviewed. The criteria that participants followed in selecting a student
included: the student was a 12th grader, the student had been enrolled in the selected high school
since the school’s implementation of BIC, and the student participated in BIC and was identified
by the teacher participant as an individual that could benefit from participating in the program.
Table 4.2 displays student data including gender, race, English End-of-Course (EOC) test scores,
number of discipline referrals, and attendance records.
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Table 4.2
Student Data
Gender Race Eng. I
EOC
Eng.
III
EOC
# of Discipline
Referrals
Attendance
F W Basic Below
Basic
2017-18 – 2
2014-15 - 7
2017-18 – 29 AB / 2 TA
2014-15 – 16 AB / 7 TA
F B Prof. Prof.
2017-18 – 0
2014-15 - 1
2017-18 – 7 AB / 8 TA
2014-15 – 10 AB / 6 TA
M B Basic Below
Basic
2017-18 – 4
2014-15 - 9
2017-18 – 10 AB / 7 TA
2014-15 – 27 AB / 9 TA
M H Prof. Adv. 2017-18 – 0
2014-15 – 4
2017-18 – 3 AB / 0 TA
2014-15 – 7 AB / 3 TA
M W Basic Prof. 2017-18 – 0
2014-15 - 1
2017-18 – 10 AB / 8 TA
2014-15 – 22 AB / 8 TA
F B Below
Basic
Basic 2017-18 – 1
2014-15 - 3
2017-18 – 6 AB / 7 TA
2014-15 – 17 AB / 7 TA
Note. The abbreviations for gender are F for female and M for male. The abbreviations for race
are B for Black, W for White, and H for Hispanic. Abbreviations for test scores are Prof. for
proficient and Adv. for advanced. Abbreviations for attendance are AB for absences and TA for
tardies.
66
There were three female and three male students selected by the teacher participants. A
variety of races were represented. The BIC program was introduced to these students in 2014,
when they were freshman and enrolled in English I. Improvements in EOC test scores since the
implementation of BIC were inconsistent. Two students’ scores dropped from basic on the
English I EOC to below basic on the English III EOC. One student’s scores remained the same
over the three-year span. Three students showed improvement in EOC scores from English I to
English III. The number of discipline referrals decreased for all students from 2014-2015 to the
2017-2018 school year. Eighty-three percent of the students showed improvement in their
attendance from the year that BIC was implemented to the 2017-2018 school-year. According to
the data, the implementation of BIC appeared to make a significant positive impact on student
attendance and behavior. The data were inconsistent for test scores and suggested no significant
impact of BIC on English EOC scores. Race and gender had no direct influence on the impact of
BIC on the students selected.
Analysis of Data
Data sources were reviewed and organized by initial codes including interviews,
observations, and journal entries. Overlapping themes and patterns were identified and
connections were drawn across coded categories. Further codes such as “benefits of BIC” and
“barriers to BIC” were developed. Data were further analyzed to validate the findings and to
aid in answering the research questions. Table 4.3 displays data sorted by codes.
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Table 4.3
Data Sorted in Levels of Coding
Pre-Set Coding Axial Coding Selective Coding
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Established at the beginning of the school-year Student-led
Routine (benefit)
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Smooth transitions
Instructional time
(benefit)
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Family-style meals Different from cafeteria meals
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Student attendance reports
Student behavior referrals
Attendance and
behavior (benefit)
Social/Relationship
building (benefit)
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals English I and English III EOC scores
Academic performance
(benefit)
There were common
teachers’
perceptions with
regard to benefits
and barriers to
Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) and
its impact on
students
68
Pre-Set Coding Axial Coding Selective Coding
An 11-question interview was used to allow participants to share their experiences with
the implementation of BIC. Interviews were conducted in each of the teacher participants’
classrooms during their planning period. This helped to ensure that teachers were in an
environment where they felt comfortable. Conducting interviews during teachers’ planning
periods eliminated distractions from students and allowed for a quiet atmosphere. Interviews
were transcribed at the end of the school day following the individual interviews. Participants’
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Daily nutritional value
Nutritional needs
(benefit)
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Nutritional value information provided Student input
Food choices
(barrier)
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Spill kit Less messy food options
Teacher interviews Classroom observations Participant journals Routine established at the
beginning of the school-year
Distractions (barrier)
Messes and spills
(barrier) There were common
teachers’
perceptions with
regard to benefits
and barriers to
Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) and
its impact on
students
69
identities were protected by using participant numbers, rather than names. Member checking
was used to ensure that transcribed interviews were properly interpreted. Teacher participants
were allowed to review their transcribed interviews once all interviews had been completed. A
colleague who was uninvolved with the research was used for peer debriefing in order to ensure
the reported data were unbiased.
The interview questions were designed to answer the two research questions for the
current study. Interview questions one, two, five, eight, ten, and eleven addressed the first
research question. Interview questions three and nine addressed the second research question.
Interview questions four, six and seven provided additional information about support received
from administrators to implement BIC, teacher participants’ roles in the planning process for
BIC in their school, and teacher participants’ perceptions of the importance of eating breakfast
regularly.
Research Question One
Research question one was: What are teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom
(BIC) and its effect on students? The following section discusses the responses to interview
questions that related to this research question.
Experience with implementing BIC. Interview question one asked: Tell me about your
experience with implementing Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC)? Teacher participants reported
being involved in the implementation of BIC over a range of three to 10 years. Teachers 3 and
6 shared positive experiences with the implementation of BIC. Teacher 3 stated, “I have not
found BIC to be a problem as far as classroom management. It helps students get to class on
time.” Teacher 6 shared that she had taught in a school where breakfast was served in the
cafeteria prior to employment at the current school that utilizes BIC. “This program is less
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stressful and does not take away from the classroom time” (Teacher 6). Teacher 1 supported
breakfast being served in schools but did not like it in the classroom. He reported students had
several spills in his classroom, which was a computer lab, which created an ant problem.
Teacher 1 also expressed concern about students arriving late and interrupting instructional time
to eat breakfast. Teachers 1 stated, “If a student comes in 15 minutes after breakfast has been
put out, he/she is right back to eating in the classroom which causes them to be up and down
disrupting and possibly making a mess all over again.” Teacher 6 expressed concern about BIC
when she stated, “The implementation can be a little frustrating as a teacher. Sometimes the
students want to drag out breakfast to keep class from starting. I, as the teacher, have to limit
the time allowed.”
Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of BIC on students. Interview question two
asked: How do you perceive the impact of BIC on your students? All teacher participants
agreed that BIC was a beneficial and necessary program. Teacher 3 shared, “I have noticed
students hoarding food. If a child is driven to that, then there is a real need.” Teacher 6
supported this thought by saying, “Even though the students may complain about the food
offered in the program, they still are willing to eat the breakfast. They also will ask for
seconds.” Teachers 2 and 5 believed that some of their students would not have food otherwise
if it was not offered at school. Students were reported as excited to see breakfast waiting for
them in the classroom. Teacher 4 shared that BIC seemed to help student behavior as his
students seemed more problematic when they had not eaten. Teachers 1, 3, and 5 expressed that
a hungry student could not learn and that BIC had a positive impact on student performance.
According to Teacher 1, “To give students breakfast...is meeting Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
on the lowest level. You cannot expect a hungry student to want to learn anything. Giving
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students’ breakfast is absolutely the right thing to do.”
Interview question five asked: What changes, if any, have you seen in your students since
BIC was implemented? Teacher 3 noted a decrease in tardiness as students raced to class to be
the first to get breakfast. Teacher 4 reported students having more positive attitudes about
coming to school when they knew they would have breakfast waiting for them. All other
teacher participants reported no change in their students since the implementation of BIC.
Describing what BIC looks like in each classroom. Classroom observations and
interview question eight helped to paint a picture of what the daily routine of BIC looks like in
each of the teacher participants’ classrooms. Interview question eight asked: Describe what the
implementation of BIC looks like in your classroom. Teachers 1, 2, and 3 reported that their
students were completely in charge of the BIC program in their classrooms. They all stated that
this worked well, but Teacher 1 suggested each classroom be provided with a spill kit. Teacher
4 reported that he handed out breakfast each morning, but the students were responsible for
cleaning up. Teachers 5 and 6 went into more specific details about the daily BIC routine.
Teacher 5 shared that there was a designated table for breakfast in her classroom and that
students could participate in BIC without judgement. As a class, the teacher and students would
discuss the food choice for the upcoming day, and the teacher would take a count of how many
students wanted breakfast for the next day. She also reported that students used BIC time to
communicate and connect with their peers. Teacher 6 said she had a designated area for
breakfast, and students were required to get their breakfast and begin eating immediately upon
arrival to the classroom. Teacher 6 would walk around the classroom with the breakfast trash
can, rather than students getting up and down to throw away trash. A designated student would
read what was for breakfast for the next day and get a breakfast count for the cafeteria. The
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same student was responsible for placing the breakfast container and trash can outside to be
picked up by cafeteria staff. Teacher 1 stressed again, “I would really like to see the students
eat breakfast when they get to school in a designated area and keep it out of the classroom. In
our case, our population is too large to have a common area where we can feed every student.”
An observation checklist was used to guide classroom walk-throughs. Overall, there
appeared to be good participation in the BIC program. The number of students enrolled in each
class ranged from seven to 29. Teachers with smaller classes reported fewer problems with the
implementation of BIC, and fewer messes and spills were reported. Three of the classrooms
were computer labs. Only one of the teachers in computer labs complained of spills. Each
classroom had one or two designated students who served as BIC helpers. At least 50% of
students in each of the classrooms participated in BIC on the day of the classroom observations.
All teachers allowed students to eat second portions if they were available. Teacher 1 had a
designated “share table” where students could leave their breakfast if they did not want it for the
day. It then was available for any other student in the classroom to have. Three of the teachers
held back unclaimed breakfasts after clean-up time for students who might arrive late. All
students were engaged in conversations with their peers during the allotted breakfast time.
However, only Teacher 6 was observed eating breakfast and engaging in conversation with the
students. It was clear in each of the classes that breakfast routines had been established.
Students seemed to know the procedures for breakfast pick-up and clean-up. Teacher 2 had a
table in the middle of the classroom designated for breakfast pick-up. All other teachers had
breakfast set up on desks close to the classroom door. Breakfast was delivered to classrooms by
cafeteria staff prior to the morning bell that begins school. Breakfast food items were in red
insulated bags that allowed food to stay warm. Breakfast drinks were in a separate red,
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insulated bag that allowed the drinks to stay cool. A white trash can was provided to each
classroom by the cafeteria staff that was labeled “breakfast trash only.” Teachers 4 and 6
brought breakfast into the classroom and placed it in the designated breakfast area. All other
teachers allowed student helpers to retrieve breakfast from the hallways. Each student received
a juice, milk, and food item. Two percent milk was served, and food items were whole wheat.
Once breakfast was completed, all but one teacher allowed student helpers to clean up and set
the breakfast trash bags and containers back in the hallway. Teacher 6 walked around the
classroom and retrieved trash. She set the breakfast trash can and bags in the hallway herself.
All teacher participants reported that they allowed students who arrived late to class to eat
breakfast. There were no interruptions during the allotted time for BIC observed, and BIC did
not appear to interrupt or limit instructional time. All teachers utilized BIC time to take care of
morning tasks such as attendance and to make announcements. One student was overheard
saying the only reason he woke up for school each morning was because of breakfast.
BIC barriers. Interview question 10 inquired: What do you perceive as barriers to
student participation in BIC? Teachers 2, 4, and 6 reported the taste of food and food choices as
barriers to students in their classrooms choosing to participate in BIC. Teacher 6 stated, “The
type of food is varied, but there are some items that the students really do not like. The
cafeteria staff works really hard to give a variety of things that teenagers would like.” Teacher
5 reported that the allotted time for BIC is sometimes not long enough depending on the food
choice on a particular day or the number of students that arrive late to class. Teachers 1 and 3
reported no barriers to students participating in BIC in their classrooms.
Interview question 11 probed: Do you have any other thoughts about BIC that you would
like to share? Teachers 2 and 3 suggested better food choices and more fruit options. Teacher 1
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stated, “It is necessary for all students in our district to participate in this program, and we are
doing a great service to ensure that all students are not burdened with hunger and can
successfully achieve what they came here for.” Teachers 4, 5, and 6 had no further input to
share with regard to this question.
Research Question Two
Research question two was: How do teachers interpret their impact on students’
participation in the BIC program? Interview questions three and nine assisted in answering this
research question. The following section discusses responses to these interview questions that
helped to answer research question two.
Teacher’s role as a facilitator of BIC. Interview question three queried: What do you
feel is your role as a facilitator of BIC? Teachers 3, 4, 5, and 6 expressed they were responsible
for each student receiving a breakfast every school day. Teacher 5 also shared her
responsibility of making sure the breakfast counts were correct to ensure that the correct number
of breakfasts were sent to the classroom each day. Teacher 6 stated that she believed it was her
responsibility to keep a clean room after breakfast time was over. Teachers 1 and 2 expressed
having a small role in facilitating BIC. Teacher 2 commented, “I start the first week of school
showing the students how to do the paperwork. After that, I have two students each week that
are in charge of BIC.” Teacher 5 also stated it was her responsibility to speak positively around
the students about the BIC program in order to encourage participation.
Teachers impact on BIC. Interview question nine sought to answer: What are your
feelings in regard to the impact you have on BIC implementation and participation? Teachers 4
and 5 shared that teachers had the biggest impact on BIC participation. Teachers are the ones
who have to make sure the program is properly implemented each day and that breakfast is
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received by all students who want it. Teacher 4 stated, “Teachers consistent participation in
BIC validates the program.” Teacher 3 stated the cafeteria staff had the biggest impact on BIC.
“They are like a well-oiled machine. They have narrowed down the correct number for each
class, and it is always delivered on time” (Teacher 3). Teachers 1, 2, and 6 expressed that they
had no impact on students’ participation in BIC.
Interview questions four, six, and seven supported both research questions and gave
further insight on what may be the causes of teachers’ perceptions of the BIC program.
Administrative management and support of BIC. Interview question four asked:
What support do you receive from your school and administrators in order to implement BIC?
All teacher participants agreed that the program was run well, even though they reported a lack
of support from administrators. Some of the teacher participants provided suggestions about
additional resources that might have been useful. Teacher 4 stated that providing information
on the nutritional value of the breakfast food items would be beneficial. He expressed that he
could share that information with students and parents that expressed interest. He also wanted
to know the guidelines that food service personnel had to follow when selecting food items.
Teacher 1 suggested the need for “a kit that contained cleaning supplies for when accidents
occurred. The students would then have access to something that they could use to clean up.
As of today, we have nothing.” Teacher 5 provided further suggestions with regard to
improving the program. In referencing the administrators, Teacher 5 stated, “The support is
minimal at best. They could push the program more by making it more appealing and by
placing signs and announcements around the school sharing the importance of eating a healthy
breakfast.”
Planning for BIC. Interview question six inquired: Did you play a role in the planning
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process prior to the implementation of BIC? All teacher participants reported that they had no
role in the planning process before BIC began at the selected high school. Three of the teacher
participants said that the BIC program was implemented the year they began teaching at the
school. Teacher 1 had no input on the program’s structure prior to its implementation.
However, after further conversation and after reviewing Teacher 1’s journal entries, he did play
a part in updating the BIC roster form that was to be filled out each day indicating breakfast
needs for the following day. Teacher 1 suggested adding a milk and juice choice on the form
for each student, and his suggestion was heard. The teacher knew that some of his students
preferred chocolate milk over white milk. Some of the students preferred apple juice over
orange juice. These choices were added to the BIC roster form. Teacher 1 shared that he
noticed a decrease in waste and items being sent back to the cafeteria once students were giving
this option.
Importance of breakfast. Interview question four asked: Do you feel it is important to
eat breakfast on a regular basis? All teacher participants responded that they believed eating
breakfast on a regular basis was very important and that breakfast was the most important meal
of the day. Teacher 1 stated, “Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day in my
opinion. It gets our cells excited and re-energized again after a night of fasting.” Other teacher
participants drew connections between eating breakfast and their students’ behavior and ability
to learn. Teacher 3 stated, “I feel that if a kid is hungry, then nothing we do to teach them will
have an impact.” Teacher 6 said, “Speaking for myself, if I do not eat something for breakfast, I
feel sluggish the rest of the day.” The teacher reported that the same seemed to be true for her
students. Some students were reported as coming to school tired but seemed to perk up after
participating in BIC. Teacher 5 stated, “BIC is a great way to develop relationships with your
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students because it is an informal time and students feel comfortable talking to you about
personal matters during that time.” She reported that students also used BIC time to converse
and build relationships with their peers.
Presentation of Themes
Interview question responses revealed benefits and obstacles to BIC for both teachers and
students. Benefits for teachers included a routine start to the school day, protection of
instructional time, building relationships, and improved attendance. Some obstacles for
teachers to the BIC program included undesirable food choices and the mess and distractions
that food in the classroom caused. The following section explored different codes that emerged
from the original coding of “Benefits of BIC” and “Obstacles of BIC.” Table 4.4 displays
benefits and obstacles to BIC noted by the teacher participants.
Table 4.4
Benefits and Obstacles to BIC
Benefits Obstacles
Provides a daily routine Poor food choices
Protects instructional time Can cause messes and spills in the classroom
Helps build relationships/Social Can be distracting in the classroom
Improved attendance and behavior
Improves students’ academic performance
Provides students with basic nutritional needs
Benefits for Teachers
Routine. All teacher participants reported establishing breakfast routines at the
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beginning of the school year. Teachers 1 and 2 both reported that they established routines in
the first week of school and after that, the students were completely in charge of BIC time.
Teachers taught their students where the designated area for breakfast was in their classroom
and rules about how to retrieve breakfast and clean up when finished. Students were also taught
how to complete the paperwork for BIC. Cafeteria staff delivered breakfast outside the door of
each classroom. The teachers assigned student helpers who were responsible for retrieving the
breakfast from the hallway and making sure every student received breakfast, if they so desired.
Teachers 1 and 2 shared that students were also in charge of making sure no student got a
second breakfast until every student had received their first serving. Students learned to fill out
the information on the BIC roster form, which included the date, room number, teacher’s name,
number of students who ate breakfast, and the breakfast count for the next school day. Once
every student finished breakfast, they threw their trash away, and the student helper was
responsible for taking the food container and breakfast trash can back out into the hallway.
Teachers 3, 4, 5, 6 reported having more involvement with the daily BIC process.
Teacher 3 brought breakfast into the classroom each morning and placed it in the designated
area. She let the students handle all other routines after that. Teacher 4 handed out breakfast
himself to make sure that every student received one. Teacher 5 reported that she did the
breakfast count herself and completed the BIC roster form. Teacher 6 walked around the
classroom with the trash can after students finished breakfast to prevent spills and wasted time
with students getting up and down to throw trash away. All teacher participants felt the BIC
program was well-run and allowed students to take ownership and responsibility. Teachers did
not express that BIC was a burden and enjoyed having the down-time to take care of morning
routines such as taking attendance and making announcements.
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Instructional time. Teacher participants believed that valuable time was saved by
having students report directly to the classroom for breakfast rather than another designated
area. Teacher 6, who had experience in a school where breakfast was served in the cafeteria,
stated that she preferred BIC and reported it as being less stressful and as saving classroom
time. Teacher 1 expressed concerns about BIC, but shared in his journal entries that he
appreciated not having to wait on students to transition from the cafeteria to the classroom each
morning after breakfast. Once routine had been established, the teachers reported that the
students knew the allotted time for breakfast and were ready to move onto guided instruction
after breakfast consumption. In that way, it saved on time for students to get adjusted from
walking in the classroom to being ready to work.
Building relationships. Teacher participants agreed that BIC time allowed time for
them to build relationships with their students. In a journal entry submitted by Teacher 5, the
teachers revealed her love for the informal time to talk to her students. She reported that she
can better understand why some of her students might have struggled in her class after speaking
with them on a more personal level. Some of the students reported having to work late nights in
order to help their single-parent pay bills. Another student reported that he has to babysit his
younger siblings while his mom worked, which made it hard for him to complete homework.
Another student reported not having internet access or school supplies at home. One student
expressed a high level of stress and anxiety because his mother had been diagnosed with cancer.
Two students said they had trouble seeing the board and taking notes because of their vision,
but they could not afford glasses. Lastly, a student reported having only one uniform and no
washer and dryer at home. He would miss school for days until he was able to wash his clothes.
After obtaining this information, Teacher 5 reported that she could better serve her students and
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their individual needs. She was able to provide students with information about resources that
could help them and their families. Teacher 5 also shared information with her principal, and
the principal was able to use general funds to buy extra school supplies and uniforms.
Teacher 5 stated,
As teachers, sometimes we get so overwhelmed with teaching standards and
teaching from bell to bell. If it had not been for the informal time available
during BIC time, I fear I might have never discovered some of my
students lack of basic needs. I would have never made the connection to
my students’ personal needs and their academic and behavioral struggles.
Improved attendance. Teachers 3 and 6 reported that students seemed to arrive to
school on time because of breakfast. The students would even rush to class to be the first to
receive what they wanted and to hopefully get seconds if available. They also wanted to eat food
while it was hot so this helped them to arrive to school on time and to not skip first block. All
teacher participants reported that they had at least one student in their class who would probably
not eat all day if they did not have breakfast and lunch available to them at school. After
reviewing attendance records of students selected by the teacher participants, all but one student
showed improvement in attendance from the year that BIC was implemented to the current 2017-
2018 school-year. This suggested that BIC had a positive, significant impact on student
attendance.
Obstacles for Teachers
Food choices. At times, undesirable food choices were reported as an obstacle to
participation in the BIC program. During observations, it was noticed that some students chose
not eat breakfast at all because they did not like what was served. Teachers also expressed that
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students became burnt-out on the same breakfast options throughout the year, and the number of
those participating in the BIC program decreased from the beginning of the school-year to
second semester. Teacher 6 stated, “It might help if there were a variety of food choices. Some
of my students complain that they have to eat the same food week to week.” Teacher 3 said,
“Some of my students are picky, and they do not want to try the breakfast if it is something they
have not had before.” Teacher 1 reported that more students in his class began participating in
BIC after the changes to the BIC roster form were made giving cafeteria staff more detailed
insight on what students want for breakfast. Teacher participants also reported that some food
choices cannot be eaten quickly and cause BIC to last longer than planned. Some of the food
choices were reported as being sticky and messy which took more time to clean. This led to the
next coded theme of messes and distractions.
Messes and distractions. Teacher participants reported that there were some distractions
with regard to the BIC program that created an obstacle for teachers. Students having to get up
and down to pick up breakfast and throw away trash was reported by Teacher 1 as a distraction
to students who were trying to move on to their bell-ringer assignments. Some students were
reported as using breakfast as an excuse to get up and talk to or pick on another student across
the room. Some teacher participants, such as Teachers 4 and 6, attempted to alleviate this
problem by handing out breakfast or cleaning up behind the students themselves.
Teachers reported that students who came to class late and still wanted breakfast created
a distraction. Teacher 1 shared that he sometimes has students arrive in the middle of class
wanting breakfast. “They come in and interrupt my lesson as they raddle the plastic wrap that
the breakfast is in.” Teacher 5 stated that students become behavior problems, if they arrive late,
and you do not allow them to get breakfast. By the time some of these students arrived, the room
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had been cleaned and breakfast had been returned to the cafeteria. It was an added distraction to
the classroom, and the cafeteria staff if the student had to be sent to the cafeteria to retrieve
breakfast.
All teacher participants reported that when a student had a spill, it was a distraction to
all of the students. Teacher 5 said, “Since there are no cleaning utensils included with breakfast,
other than some very thin napkins, I usually have to buzz the front office for a janitor to clean it
up or have a student run to the bathroom for paper towels.” When asked what changes could be
made to improve BIC, Teacher 1 suggested including a cleaning kit with breakfast for each
classroom. Three of the teacher participants reported an increase in ants or rodents in their
classrooms, since BIC had been implemented. The teachers said this was due to the breakfast
spills in their classrooms and an inadequate way to thoroughly clean their rooms. Teacher 2,
who had computers and equipment in his room, even reported that there had been damage to one
of his computers due to a breakfast spill.
One code with regard to students was “Benefits of BIC for Students.” This led to the
emergence of more codes describing BIC benefits to students including academic, behavioral,
social, and nutritional benefits. Food choices, as previously discussed with regard to teachers,
was also an obstacle to BIC for students.
Benefits for Students
Academic benefits. When reviewing teacher participants’ journal entries, a pattern was
noted of teachers reporting that students were more alert and ready to learn after they had
consumed breakfast. Teachers 1 and 3 both noted that students cannot learn when they are
hungry. Teacher 6 reported that students were more successful at completing classroom
assignments when they had been fed. “I have noticed students who usually slept through my
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class started staying awake and completing their bell ringers and independent work during the 70
minute block schedule” (Teacher 6). The majority of the teachers said students seemed to
perform better on tests when they had participated in BIC. When reviewing English End-Of-
Course (EOC) scores, 50% of the students whose test data was reviewed showed improvements
in scores from the 2014 English I EOC to the 2016 English III EOC. This is significant because
according to the Tennessee state report card, more students scored below basic on the English III
EOC’s than on English I EOC’s. During the 2016-2017 school-year, 12.2% of students in the
state of Tennessee scored below basic on the English I EOC compared to the 19.8% who scored
below basic on the English III EOC (TN Department of Education, 2017). It is noteworthy that
students whose data were reviewed in this study showed improvements from English I to English
III EOC’s, which was better than the overall state reports.
Behavioral benefits. Most of the teacher participants discussed seeing an improved
mood in their students who participated in the BIC program. Studies have shown the importance
of building positive relationships between students and teachers. These relationships have
proven to have a positive impact on student achievement (Brown, 2010). Teachers have reported
improved student behavior in their classrooms due to the culture they created by building
teacher-student relationships (Sears, 2017). The informal time allotted for BIC allows teachers
the opportunity to get to know their students in a more personal way. BIC time is a great chance
to build relationships that can improve student behavior and performance.
Teacher 4 indicated that “students are less argumentative and cranky when they have
eaten breakfast.” Supporting this statement, Teacher 5 said, “Students seem to stay on-task
longer after BIC. I don’t have to send as many students out of the class for disrupting my lessons
when they eat breakfast.” Teacher 2 stated, “I spend less time correcting behavior when I can
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get my students to eat breakfast.” These are examples of how BIC can allow for time to create a
positive shift in culture, improve teacher-student relationships, and improve student behavior.
All students whose discipline records were reviewed showed a decrease in their number of
behavioral referrals since the implementation of BIC.
Social benefits. All teacher participants reported that their students engaged in
conversation during BIC time. During observations, the researcher noted several conversations
taking place while students consumed breakfast. The noise volume was decent and not
distracting to the teachers who were trying to complete routines, such as entering attendance and
making announcements. Conversations were friendly, and all students seemed to get along.
Teacher 4 stated that when conversing with some of his students, he learned that school breakfast
and lunch was the only time that they sat down and shared a meal with others. Students eating in
the classroom is different than students eating lunch in the cafeteria through the National School
Lunch Program (NSLP). Noise and overcrowding are issues that many schools have to deal with
when serving meals in the cafeteria. In this setting, conversations could become confrontational
and less relaxing as students are trying to speak over each other. The family-style meals served
during BIC offer many benefits. In a family-style setting, students are better able to listen to
their hunger cues and regulate their food intake (Lifsey, 2015). In the classroom, it is easier to
monitor what and how much students are eating. Students are able to engage in meaningful
conversations with their peers and their teachers since there is less noise and fewer students than
in the cafeteria. BIC is an opportunity for social development (Lifsey, 2015). Teachers are
encouraged to participate in BIC with their students. By doing so, teachers can model healthy
eating choices and portion sizes. Teachers can also model proper table etiquette and engage in
conversation with their students. BIC provides an opportunity for this family-style meal that
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students might not receive otherwise. When discussing conversations with his students, Teacher
4 stated, “They say that they do not sit down with their family and eat at the dinner table. They
normally get fast food and eat it during the car ride home or take it to their bedrooms and eat by
themselves.” Teacher 2 said, “BIC forces students to talk to and get to know their classmates,
even if they do not have close friends in their class.” All teacher participants agreed that less
social students seemed to step out of their comfort zone during BIC time by participating in
conversation with their peers.
Nutritional benefits. Some of the teacher participants questioned the nutritional value of
the food options provided through BIC. When conducting observations, the researcher noticed
food items such as cinnamon rolls, cereal bars, and chicken and biscuits being served. After
taking a closer look, the researcher noted that all food choices were whole grain, and the
cinnamon rolls were miniatures which provided a smaller portion size than a traditional
cinnamon roll. All breakfasts included two percent milk and a juice, either apple, grape, or
orange, with no additional sugars added. The USDA has set nutritional guidelines for schools
that participate in school breakfast programs. All school breakfasts must provide one-fourth of
each student’s daily need for protein and other important vitamins and minerals (McIndoo,
2017).
Teacher 4 shared his desire to receive nutritional information along with breakfast each
morning. The teacher said this would be valuable information for him to know and to share with
his students and parents. Teacher 3 stated, “Whatever was provided through BIC had to be better
than skipping breakfast or going through a drive-thru and picking up breakfast on the way to
school.” Teacher 1 added, “I feel that several of my students would not eat all day if it weren’t
for school breakfast and lunch. I don’t know how nutritious the school breakfast is, but
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something is better than nothing.” All teachers reported a fruit being included in the breakfast
container, which they considered a nutritional benefit for their students.
Teacher 1 discussed Maslow’s hierarchy of needs during his interview and in his journal
entries. He stressed that students could not learn until their basic needs were met. He added,
“Food is one of our most basic needs and no one should expect a child who has a need for food
to be able to learn anything.” Teacher 3 shared that some of her students fought over food and
begged for seconds. This showed a definite need for food. Several of the teachers reported
keeping extra breakfasts in their classrooms for students who get hungry later in the day. All
teacher participants expressed a desire to help their students meet their nutritional needs.
Summary
This qualitative case study provided exploration into the perceptions of teachers with
regard to the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program. Demographic information of teacher
participants and student data analysis were shared. Research questions were addressed and
answered through the use of observations, interviews, and teachers’ journal entries. Through the
use of axial coding, similarities were found in the interview question responses, which helped to
identify patterns and themes. Themes such as benefits and obstacles to the program were
identified. Further coding took place to break down data into themes related to BIC’s benefits
such as routine, protecting instructional time, building relationships, improved attendance,
improved academic readiness, behavioral improvements, social development, and
nutritional/basic needs. Obstacles to BIC created themes that included poor food choices and
messes and distractions. Observations and discussions provided a closer look into the daily
routine of BIC in different classrooms. This helped identify attributes of the program that
worked well and those that needed improvement. The use of multiple data sources allowed for
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triangulation therefore increasing the dependability of the study. Member checking and peer
debriefing was utilized to decrease the chance for bias and to ensure the data were accurately
analyzed and recorded, making the research more credible. Chapter five will discuss general
conclusions from this study and will provide recommendations for further research. Limitations
and implications are also discussed.
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Chapter 5: Conclusion
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the Breakfast in the
Classroom (BIC) program and its impact on students. High school teachers were targeted as
participants in this particular study. Data were gathered through interviews, observations, and
journals that shared perceived benefits and barriers to the BIC program. Data were coded and
revealed benefits for students and teachers, which were explored in greater detail. Previous
research identified principal, parent, and peer influence on participation in the BIC program and
how these individuals perceived the programs’ effectiveness. The present study aimed to add to
the existing body of research by exploring teachers’ perceptions of BIC, its impact on students,
and teachers’ views about their influence on student participation in BIC. Two research
questions were investigate in this study:
1. What are teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its effect on
students?
2. How do teachers interpret their impact on students’ participation in the BIC
program?
Chapter Five summarizes the findings of this study as they relate to the research
questions. Themes developed through data analysis, which helped to categorize perceived
benefits and challenges to BIC. Social, behavioral, nutritional, and academic benefits of BIC
were identified by teacher participants. Additionally, teachers reported improvement in
attendance, protection of instructional time, and the establishment of daily routine as benefits to
the BIC program. Challenges to BIC included poor food choices, messes caused by spills and
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sticky foods, and distractions in the classroom. Chapter Five also identifies limitations of the
study, and conclusions are drawn based on data analysis. Lastly, recommendations for future
research are discussed.
Discussion of Findings
Two main research questions guided data collection for the current study. The findings
are separated with regard to the guiding questions. Open-ended, one-on-one, semi-structured
interviews, classroom observations, and journals collected from the study participants helped
identify themes that allowed for triangulation of the data.
Research Question One
What are teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its effect on
students?
Virginia Woolf was quoted as saying, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if
one has not dined well” (Albers, 2011). This should be taken into consideration when schools
explore ways to improve student performance. BIC was designed as a means of satisfying
students’ physiological and social needs. Food was identified by Abraham Maslow as one of the
basic needs in his hierarchy of needs. Maslow (1943) believed one could not move on to more
complex needs until all deficits from lower level needs were met (McLeod, 2007). Traditional
school breakfast is served in designated areas, such as cafeterias, and targets students who come
from low-income families. Unfortunately, this has created a stigma for students who chose to
participate in the school breakfast program. Studies showed that a significant amount of students
who qualified for free or reduced breakfast through the traditional school breakfast program
chose not to participate in the program. This was especially noted at the high school level.
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Moore (2014) stated that teenagers are more likely to eat breakfast when they see their friends
doing the same. This was noted as being especially true in a social setting. This thought
supported the emergence of BIC, which was a universal school breakfast program that allowed
all students, regardless of their family income, to receive a free breakfast in their classroom each
school day. The intent was to eliminate the stigma that existed for students under the traditional
school breakfast program and to improve participation in the consumption of school breakfast.
The findings of this study revealed consistent patterns among teacher participants with
regard to research question one. These patterns were separated into two main themes, benefits of
BIC and obstacles of BIC. All teachers agreed that consuming a balanced breakfast was very
important and that breakfast was linked to improved student performance. However, teacher
participants shared mixed reviews on consuming breakfast in the classroom as opposed to
another area in the school. Further coding led to more specific themes which are discussed in
this section of Chapter Five.
Establishing routine. Each teacher participant described their procedures for
implementing BIC in their particular classrooms. Similarities and differences existed between
BIC routines in each of the six teachers’ classrooms. Breakfast was placed in the hall outside of
classroom doors each morning by cafeteria staff. Routines began to differ after this point.
Breakfast pick-up and clean-up procedures varied. Designated areas for breakfast were also
different from room to room. Some teachers chose to be more involved with the daily BIC
routine by serving breakfast themselves, cleaning up behind students after breakfast, or taking
the breakfast count for the upcoming school day. Other teachers established routine in the first
week of school and from that point, allowed students to be completely in charge of BIC
implementation. Teacher participants enjoyed the freedom to set routine in their classrooms as
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they wished, and all participants reported that BIC was easily implemented. Additionally,
teachers said they appreciated the chance to use BIC time to take attendance, make
announcements, and perform other morning routines prior to the start of a lesson.
Time. All teacher participants shared that BIC was less time consuming than traditional
breakfast programs that had students eat breakfast in the cafeteria and then students had to
transition to the classroom when the bell ran for school to begin. Even teachers who expressed
concern about eating breakfast in the classroom noted time for implementation was a benefit to
BIC. All teacher participants agreed that establishing routine early in the school year further
contributed to the protection of instructional time. Once BIC routines were set, students were
reported as smoothly transitioning from the informal and social breakfast time to the more
structured and quiet instructional time.
Social opportunities that led to relationship building. Teachers reported learning
more about their students and their individual circumstances through the implementation of BIC.
Teachers had time to talk with their students about matters other than subject matter. Teachers
were able to identify extenuating circumstances in their students’ home life that affected their
performance at school. One teacher shared that she would not have discovered her students’
deficits in basic needs if it had not been for the allotment of BIC time. Teachers also reported
BIC as being a social benefit for students as well. It was noted that BIC was the only family-
style meal that some students participated in each day. Teachers shared their ability to monitor
what their students consumed and students were better able to self-regulate their food intake in
the classroom rather than in a noisy, overcrowded cafeteria. Teachers and students were able to
engage in meaningful conversations and teachers who participated in BIC with their students
were able to model healthy eating choices and proper table etiquette.
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Increase in attendance and decrease in tardiness. Students who had experienced
chronic absenteeism showed improved attendance with the implementation of BIC. Teachers
noted that students more frequently arrived to class on time when they knew a breakfast would
be waiting for them. Nearly 84% of students whose data were reviewed in this study showed
improvement in attendance on their compulsory attendance reports from the time that BIC was
implemented in the school. This supported the concept that BIC had a positive, significant
impact on student attendance.
Improvement in students’ academic performance. Teachers reported that students
who participated in BIC were more alert and ready to learn than those who did not. On-task
behaviors and completion of assignments were more prevalent when students had consumed a
balanced breakfast provided through BIC. A notable discovery in the data analysis process was
that of improved English End-Of-Course (EOC) scores from English I to English III. This was
significant because state reports showed that students typically scored better on English I EOC’s
than they did on English III EOC’s. In this particular study, students showed improvement in
their test scores from the point when students were enrolled in English I, which was when BIC
was implemented at the school, to the point when they were enrolled in English III. This
suggested that BIC had a positive impact on students’ academic performance.
Improvement in behavior. Teachers reported that students showed improved behavior
due to the positive relationships that were built during BIC time. Teacher participants also
shared that students experienced improved moods when they had been fed. Teachers said that
they were able to spend less time on correcting behavior and more time providing instruction
when they allotted time for BIC. BIC helped students to receive their basic need for food, which
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eliminated food-related symptoms such as crankiness or stomach pains. In turn, this allowed for
a decrease in visits to the school nurse and more time for students to receive instruction.
Meeting the nutritional needs of students. Although participants were uncertain of the
nutritional value of foods served through BIC, they reported that the foods consumed during BIC
were most likely more nutritional than what students would have chosen on their own. All
participants agreed that BIC was better than skipping breakfast. USDA guidelines ensured that
BIC food options where whole grain and properly portioned. Schools participating in BIC were
mandated to provide food options that met one-fourth of each student’s daily nutritional needs.
Some teacher participants desired to receive more information about the nutritional value of BIC
so that they could share that information with students and parents.
Poor food choices. Poor food choices were identified as an obstacle to BIC. Participants
in this study reported that their students at times did not participate in BIC because they did not
like what was being served. Teacher participants also said that there were limited food options
so students would no longer want a certain food item after it had been served several times.
Some teachers suggested incorporating more food choices and allowing students to have a voice
on what was served. Changed to the BIC roster form led to an increase in BIC participation as
students were able to be more specific about what they wanted on the breakfast count. Other
obstacles related to food choices included the time it took to eat certain foods and the time it took
to clean up behind messier foods.
Messes and distractions caused by BIC. Messes and distractions were reported as other
obstacles to BIC. Students arriving to class at different times and having to partake in BIC when
they arrived was noted as a distraction caused by the program. Some students were reported as
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misusing BIC time. In these cases, the teachers who participated in this study reported having to
alter the breakfast routine in their class and become more involved in the process. The
participants also shared that it was a distraction when students had a spill or made a mess and
had to take the time to clean it up, especially since adequate cleaning supplies were not provided
with the daily breakfast kits. Some teachers reported an increase in bugs and damage to
classroom equipment due to messes and spills made during BIC.
Research Question Two
How do teachers interpret their impact on students’ participation in the BIC program?
This research question considered the effect of teachers’ perceptions with regard to BIC
on student participation in the program. MacRae (2013) stated, teachers have influence over
learned behavior and learned intelligence, even if they have little control over their students’
home environment. This statement supported the idea that teachers have a high level of impact
on their students. This can include behavioral and academic influence or the influence of
participation in programs such as BIC. Teachers serve as role models to their students. During
BIC, teachers can model making positive food options. This form of modeling can aid students
in developing healthy eating routines. These routines become part of a learned behavior.
Teacher participants expressed their main role in the BIC program as making sure each
student that wanted breakfast received it each school morning. Only one teacher participant
mentioned her responsibility to positively promote the BIC program. Approximately one-third
of the research participants shared that they had the biggest impact on BIC participation. Some
teachers shared that the success of the program heavily depended on how well it was
implemented in the classroom each day. This put the responsibility on the teachers to develop a
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classroom breakfast routine that would promote order and participation. Fifty percent of the
teachers who participated in this study reported that they had no impact on student participation
in BIC. They, instead, put the biggest responsibility on cafeteria staff and administrators to
increase BIC participation. One teacher believed that since cafeteria personnel were responsible
for food choices, they had the power to choose foods that students would like and, therefore,
increase participation in breakfast consumption at school. All participants in the study reported a
lack of support or resources provided by school administrators.
Teacher participants offered ways in which they could better promote participation in the
program if the proper resources were provided. One teacher stated that he could impact
participation if he was given information on the nutritional value of the food served each day.
He expressed that if he could share this information with students and parents, then he could gain
their support of the program. Another teacher participant suggested better marketing of the
program. She said if there were signs provided that she could display in her classroom about the
benefits of eating breakfast, then she could have a resource to refer to when trying to encourage
students to participate in BIC.
All teachers who participated in this study reported having no role in the planning of BIC
implementation in their high school. However, with additional probing, it was discovered that
one teacher had a voice in changing the BIC roster form, which made it more tailored to the
specific needs of the students. The teacher shared that changing the form increased BIC
participation in his particular class. The teacher also reported less waste associated with BIC
when students had a choice in their food options. All teachers agreed that the regular
consumption of a balanced breakfast was important and that it had an impact on student behavior
and academic performance. Research question two was connected to the theoretical framework
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for this study, which was noted through the discussion of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs by one of
the research participants. BIC provided students with their basic need for food. Since BIC was a
free universal breakfast program, it met the physiological needs of not only students from low
income families, but the needs of all students within the school. Maslow’s theory shared the
importance of meeting basic needs before students could advance to more complex needs that
were needed to be successful in school (Maslow, 1943). Students who qualified for the
traditional school breakfast program due to their families’ socio-economic status were able to
remove the stigma associated with eating school breakfast when it was moved to the classroom
and was offered to all students. Students were able to gain a sense of belonging and improved
self-esteem as their family income was no longer magnified. They were able to use BIC time to
communicate with peers and build relationships, which gave them a further since of love and
belonging. All of these are part of the hierarchy of needs that were identified by Maslow (1943).
By fulfilling all of these needs, BIC helped students to become more prepared for increased
achievement and self-actualization (McLeod, 2007). With this knowledge about the importance
of breakfast, all teachers in this study expressed an interest in doing their part to promote
participation in BIC.
Limitations and Implications
Traditional school breakfasts programs provided free or reduced breakfast to students
who qualified based on their families income. Such programs showed little success in gaining
significant participation from qualified students. Efforts were made to develop a school
breakfast model that continued to reduce food insecurities by providing nutritionally balanced
breakfasts and at the same time, increased participation in the program. Through these efforts,
the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program emerged. Since this research was conducted in a
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school that served a high percentage of students from impoverished areas and qualified for Title I
and CEP status, the findings provided insight on the benefits and barriers with regard to the BIC
program. Suggestions made by teacher participants in this study could benefit the district when
considering ways to improve the BIC program and ways to better support teachers with
implementing the program in their classrooms. Districts that recently implemented BIC or are
considering its implementation could benefit from the results of this study as it provides input on
challenges associated with BIC.
Data from this study provided several benefits to the implementation of BIC, including
social, behavioral, nutritional, and academic benefits for students. It was also noted that BIC
helped teachers to establish routine in their classrooms, protected instructional time, helped to
build peer and teacher-student relationships, improved attendance, and decreased tardiness.
Long-term, BIC was beneficial in that it provided the basic needs for students according to
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and, in turn, would increase student achievement, improve
graduation rates, and better prepare students to become productive, skilled members of their
community.
The data collected in this study were delimited to six teacher participants in one rural
West Tennessee high school. The small sample population might have limited the findings and
made them less applicable to other schools in different areas. The qualitative, case study
approach, which was based on grounded theory, served as another delimitation. Quantitative
research related to the study could contribute further to the findings and increase its validity.
Teachers’ perceptions were the focus of this study. Other stakeholders’ perceptions and other
factors that might have contributed to participation in BIC at the selected school were not taken
into consideration. An additional delimitation to the study included the time allotted to conduct
98
the research. The research was conducted within a three-month time frame in the spring
semester. Time constraints were further limited due to inclement weather and school holidays.
Data related to BIC implementation was delimited to six classrooms, data from six, 12th grade
students, and teacher interviews, classroom observations, and research participants’ journals.
Recommendations
Due to limited research available with regard to teachers’ perception of BIC and its
impact on student performance, the need for further, extensive studies is evident. This expanded
research could focus both on qualitative and quantitative data relevant to the topic. A study
conducted over a longer period of time could yield more revealing results in data, such as gaps in
test scores or shifts in attendance. Expanding the research to include outlying factors, such as
students’ socio-economic status, neighborhoods, and parent influence, would help to identify
additional barriers to BIC’s implementation that might not have been previously considered.
Providing information on the nutritional value of breakfast served through BIC could help to
create buy-in for the BIC program.
This study focused on teachers at one high school who taught some, if not all, 12th
graders. Even though the aim of this study was not to create generalizability, examining the
perceptions of teachers at different grade levels could provide more insight from a broader span
of teachers. Perceptions might be different when dealing with different aged children. By
broadening the research population, a clearer, more transferable picture could be painted with
regard to all teachers’ perceptions of BIC and the benefits and barriers experienced at different
grade levels. Future research could also consider the perceptions of other stakeholders such as
99
parents, principals, students, and food service personnel. Data derived from different districts,
with regard to BIC, would provide meaningful comparisons of differing BIC delivery methods.
Several teacher participants in this study discussed setting routines for BIC at the
beginning of the school year or at the beginning of a new semester. Conducting research at the
beginning of the school year would provide additional data related to the process of setting
routines in each classroom. By conducting research at the beginning of the school-year, teachers
might recall more obstacles they had to overcome in order to successfully implement BIC.
With regards to delivery methods, it is recommended that food service coordinators
explore more appealing food options for students. Also, consistent and appropriate food portions
should be served each morning. Finding a way to allow students to have input on food choices
could positively impact participation in BIC. Food service personnel might also consider
providing each classroom with adequate means to clean up messes and spills. In order to
alleviate stickiness and unnecessary messes, alternate food choices should be considered, such as
bananas instead of oranges, or whole grain cinnamon crunch cookies, rather than sticky
cinnamon rolls. These changes would eliminate some distractions caused by the implementation
of BIC.
Summary
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of BIC and its
impact on students. The findings of this study revealed benefits and barriers to BIC’s
implementation. These factors also influenced teachers’ perceptions of the program. The results
of the study provided insight on the ways in which BIC positively impacted students
academically, behaviorally, socially, and nutritionally. Teachers reported, with the
100
implementation of BIC, improvement in attendance from students who previously had excessive
tardiness and chronic absenteeism. Teachers also noted improvement in morning routines which
helped to protect instructional time. Overall, teachers who participated in this study expressed
the importance of eating a balanced breakfast on a regular basis and supported initiatives such as
BIC that ensured students received their basic needs so that they could learn. Mixed results were
reported with regard to teachers’ perceived impact on student participation in BIC. Some
teachers expressed having little to no impact on student participation and identified other
stakeholders who were more influential, such as administrators and cafeteria staff. Other
teachers reported that they were the most influential stakeholder in that they were the ones to
implement BIC on a daily basis. Factors identified as obstacles to BIC’s implementation
included poor food choices, messes, and distractions. Teacher participants made
recommendations to overcome the reported obstacles including providing classrooms with
cleaning kits and allowing students to have more food options, in which they helped select.
These findings may help all educational stakeholders to address issues with BIC and to identify
ways to improve implementation of the program. Recommendations made through this research
may lead to greater attendance in BIC and more students receiving their daily nutritional needs in
order to be prepared for higher order thinking and achievement. Considering the perceptions of
teachers with regard to BIC may help to increase support for the program and, in turn, promote
better implementation.
101
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Appendices
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Appendix A
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Permission to Conduct Research in Jackson-Madison County Schools Leader of Assessment & Accountability Approval Form
☐ Approved
☐ Needs More Information
☐ Denied I ___________________________________/_____________ (Leader of Assessment & Accountability/Designee) herby give permission for the above researcher to conduct research in Jackson-Madison County Schools. Pursuant to the above criteria and all board policies and or administrative procedures that may apply. As stated above, all consent forms must be completed before any person(s) may participate in said study. Please note, this form does not grant blanket permission to conduct research. It must be attached with the Building level principal form and/or the teacher approval form when applicable.
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Appendix B
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Permission to Conduct Research in Jackson-Madison County Schools Principal Approval Form
☐ Approved
☐ Denied I __________________________/____________ (Principal of School/Designee) herby give permission for the above researcher to conduct research in____________________ (Name of School). Pursuant to the above criteria and all
board policies and or administrative procedures that may apply. As stated above, all consent forms must be completed before any person(s) may participate in said study. Please note, this form is invalid unless it is attached with the Leader of Assessment & Accountability Form.
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Appendix C
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Jackson-Madison County Schools Application to Conduct Research: Form A
A. APPLICANT INFORMATION
Name: Click here to enter text.
Date: Click here to enter a date.
Address: Click here to enter text.
Phone (H): Click here to enter text.
Phone (C): Click here to enter text.
Phone (W): Click here to enter text.
Email Address: Click here to enter text.
Institution/Agency: Click here to enter text.
Position/Role: Click here to enter text.
B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND TIMELINE
Title of research proposal: Click here to enter text.
Preferred start date: Click here to enter a date.
Expected end date: Click here to enter a date.
Expected date of completion (research summary submitted to the district/participating schools):
Click here to enter a date.
List all other school districts to whom you are submitting an application to conduct this research.
Click here to enter text.
C. NATURE OF RESEARCH: Select One
☐ Undergraduate Thesis ☐ Master’s Thesis ☐ Doctoral Thesis
☐ University Research ☐ Principal’s Course ☐ Externally-sponsored Project
☐ Other: Please specify: Click here to enter text.
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Proof of permission and/or ethical review is required from your university / institution.
☐ The approval/ethics certificate from my university (IRB)/institution is attached (Please note, you may not conduct any research or submit a request to conduct research in the JMCSS until we receive an official IRB from your sponsoring university or organization)
D. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. Provide a brief summary of your literature review and/or the theoretical foundations for your study. 2. Explain the practical benefits and/or contribution of this research to the participants, to the district and/or to the education system in general. E. DATA COLLECTION AND / OR DATA REQUESTS 1. Describe the proposed method for all data collection. Include the number of sites/schools required and the name of any preferred schools or sites. 2. How many students will directly participate? Click here to enter text. Number of students Grade/Program Time required Additional details: Click here to enter text. How many teachers will directly participate? Click here to enter text. Number of teachers Grade / Program Time required Additional details: Click here to enter text. How many other school personnel will directly participate? Click here to enter text. Number of staff and staff time required: Click here to enter text.
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3. Describe any and all types of requests for data. F. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION / STUDY 1. Provide a brief summary of your planned method(s) of data collection. List all data collection instruments (e.g. tests, surveys, interview guides etc.) and attach copies to this application if necessary. 2. Describe your plans for communicating to parents and participants about the research. Explain your plans for obtaining informed consent for participation. Attach copies of all information letters, consent letters and other communication materials to this application. 3. Briefly explain the data analysis procedures you will use for your research. 4. List the security procedures in place for the protection of participant privacy and data storage. G. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Facilities required (e.g. quiet workspace; gymnasium; classroom) 2. Assistance required (e.g. early access to room for set up; assistance with students)
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3. Other resources or special arrangements required H. PROVISION FOR FEEDBACK 1. Describe your plans to report results to participants, participating schools and/or the district office: 2. Describe any publication/speaking plans for this research (e.g. academic press, social media, online news, conference presentations): *All fields must be completed. If an item does not pertain to your study please mark the item ‘NA’. This form will be returned to you indicating status: approval, needs more information or denial. Therefore, please supply JMCSS with a self-addressed stamped envelope or indicate that you will pick this form up in person. Please note, you should provide a copy of the completed form indicating approval to the building level principal(s) and classroom teacher(s) that participates in this project.
SIGNATURES Researcher: (Print full Name) Click here to enter text. I have received and read any and all district school board accompanying policy/guideline document/administrative procedure about conducting research in the district, and agree to follow its requirements if my application is accepted. Note: the final decision to participate in any research project always rests with the individual (e.g. principal, teachers, other staff; student through a participant consent form, parental consent form, or a student assent form) Signature of researcher: ___________________________________ Date: Click here to enter a date.
Professor/Sponsor/Affiliated Organization: (Type Full Name) Click here to enter text. I certify the above described research proposal has been reviewed by myself/my organization and has been vetted for its academic soundness. Consideration has been given to ethical, legal and moral questions arising from the proposal. Contact person (e.g. sponsoring professor, director of organization) Click here to enter text. Signature & Title of Person(s) Representing Sponsoring Organization: Title: Click here to enter text. Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: Click here to enter a date.
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Statement of Understanding and Acceptance of Research Project
Guidelines for Jackson-Madison County Schools: Form B
Title of Project: Click here to enter text.
Name of Researcher: Click here to enter text.
As required by the research proposal guidelines of the Jackson-Madison County School System, I affirm the
following:
1. Research that I conduct within the Jackson-Madison County School System will conform to the requirements of the research proposal guidelines.
_________ (Initials)
2. Research that I conduct within the Jackson-Madison County School System will comply with all applicable legal and ethical codes, including but not limited to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, the Ethical Standards of the American Educational Research Association, and the Jackson-Madison County School Board Policies and Procedures.
_________ (Initials)
3. Research that I conduct within the Jackson-Madison County School System will not differ significantly from the research described in the research proposal approved by the Jackson-Madison County School System.
_________ (Initials)
4. I will submit to the Jackson-Madison County Department of Assessment and Accountability a copy of the findings, including an executive summary, prior to the publication or distribution of those results.
_________ (Initials)
_____________________________ __________________________
Signature Date
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Appendix D
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Dear Liberty Teachers,
My name is Sabra Bledsoe and I am a doctoral candidate at Carson Newman University. I am
conducting research on teachers’ perceptions of Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) and its impact
on students. You are invited to participate in my research study through two 30 minute pre and
post interviews and by keeping a brief journal of your observations during the implementation of
BIC. You may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty. All data will remain
anonymous and confidential.
If you are interested in participating in my research study, please respond to this email
expressing your interest.
If you would like additional information in regards to my research study, please feel free to email
me questions and concerns at [email protected] .
Sincerely,
Sabra Bledsoe,
Doctoral Candidate
Carson Newman University
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Appendix E
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Teacher General Information Survey
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Appendix F
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Permission to Conduct Research in Jackson-Madison County Schools Teacher Approval Form
☐ Approved
☐ Denied I ____________________________/__________ (Classroom Teacher) herby give permission for the above researcher to conduct research in my classroom ____________________ (Name of Teacher). Pursuant to the above criteria and all board policies and or administrative procedures that may apply. As stated above, all consent forms must be completed before any person(s) may participate in said study. Please note, this form is invalid unless it is attached with the Leader of Assessment & Accountability Form and the Building Level Principal approval form.
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Appendix G
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Semi-Structured Interview Guide
Name of Interviewer: __________________________________________________________
Name of Interviewee (assigned number): ___________________________________________
Place of Interview: _______________Date and Time of Interview: ______________________
Questions and Probes
1. Tell me about your experience with implementing Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC)?
Probe: How long have you been involved with the program?
2. How do you perceive the impact of BIC on your students?
Probe: What examples can you share that led you to this perception?
Probe: Do you see BIC as beneficial or a burden? Why exactly do you feel that
way?
3. What do you feel is your role as a facilitator of BIC?
4. What support do you receive from your school and administrators in order to implement
BIC?
Probe: What additional resources do you feel would be beneficial to you?
5. What changes, if any, have you seen in your students since BIC was implemented?
6. Did you play a role in the planning process prior to the implementation of BIC?
Probe: If so, what role did you play?
7. Do you feel it is important to eat breakfast on a regular basis?
Probe: Explain why you feel this way.
8. Describe what the implementation of BIC looks like in your classroom.
Probe: What do you think makes BIC work well in your classroom? What needs
changing or improving?
9. What are your feelings with regard to the impact you have on BIC implementation and
participation?
Probe: Which stakeholders do you perceive as having the biggest impact on BIC?
Why?
10. What do you perceive as barriers to students participation in BIC?
11. Do you have any other thoughts about BIC that you would like to share? Explain.
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Appendix H
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Observation Checklist
Name of Interviewer: ____________________________
Name of Interviewee (assigned number): ___________________________
Place of Interview: ____________________Date and Time of Interview: ___________________
Yes No Notes
Students are actively participating in BIC.
Students are engaged in conversation with their
peers during BIC.
Students are assigned as helpers during BIC.
Students are allowed to eat second portions.
Students arrive after the allotted time for
breakfast.
Students who arrive late are allowed to eat
breakfast.
Teacher demonstrates preparedness for BIC.
Teacher uses BIC time to take care of
attendance, announcements, etc.
Teacher is engaged in conversation with
students during BIC.
Teacher provides clear instructions for breakfast pick up.
Teacher provides clear instructions for
breakfast clean up.
Teacher provides a designated area in the
classroom for breakfast.
Teacher provides clear instructions for non-
eaters and students who finish breakfast early.
Teacher enforces the allotted time for
breakfast.
There are interruptions during the allotted time for BIC.
BIC seems to interrupt/limit instruction time.
Nutritious food options are available during
BIC.