SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the Alameda County Office of Education was awarded a $300,000 grant to conduct an independent evaluation of the California Fresh Start Pilot Program.

The goal of the program is to provide public school children in California with fresh fruits and vegetables for breakfast. 

"Studies show when kids eat balanced meals, exercise, and have people who care about them, they will do better academically," said O'Connell.  "By selecting an independent evaluator of the California Fresh Start Pilot Program, we will get confirmation that children will be getting supplemental nutrition, plus lawmakers will get help in determining whether to provide ongoing funding for this promising program."

The California Healthy Kids Resource Center at the Alameda County Office of Education will partner with the Center for Weight and Health at the University of California, Berkeley to conduct the evaluation.   The California Healthy Kids Resource Center is well regarded throughout California for its health program expertise and assistance.  The Center for Weight and Health is nationally renowned for its work evaluating state and local nutrition programs.

Only county offices of education and community colleges were eligible to apply for the entire grant amount of $300,000.  The Alameda County Office of Education was selected based on the quality of the work plan, adequacy and experience of staff, and budget proposal.  An interim report with preliminary evaluation findings of the California Fresh Start Pilot Program will be available in February 2007. A final report of findings from the evaluation will be disseminated in a report to the Legislature in the fall of 2007.

The California Fresh Start Pilot Program was established by Chapter 236 of the Statutes of 2005 (Senate Bill 281/Maldonado).  The program encourages K-12 public and charter schools to provide a supplemental serving of fresh or otherwise nutritious fruits and vegetables to students as part of the federal School Breakfast Program.  Public school districts and direct-funded charter schools are eligible to apply for participation in this pilot program.

For more information about the California Fresh Start Pilot Program and the selection of the independent evaluator, please visit Funding Results: California Fresh Start Pilot - Independent Evaluator.