The Breakfast After the Bell Act of 2026 increases federal reimbursement for schools that serve breakfast to students after the school day begins, rather than only before school starts. Schools participating in a "breakfast after the bell" program—which includes serving breakfast in classrooms or at kiosks outside the cafeteria—become eligible for an extra 10-cent reimbursement per breakfast meal served. The bill targets schools with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students (40 percent or more) or those already receiving federal assistance, aiming to increase breakfast participation among students who might otherwise miss the meal. State educational agencies receive the additional reimbursement and must pass it directly to the schools serving the meals. The legislation amends the existing federal school lunch program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to fund this new initiative, though no specific overall budget amount is specified in the bill text.
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