Section 327.535 - Participation in school breakfast program; accessibility of breakfast; rules(1) As used in this section, "eligible student" means a student who is eligible for free or reduced price meals under the United States Department of Agriculture's National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program.(2) A school district may make breakfast accessible at any school site and shall make breakfast accessible if required by this section.(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5) of this section, a school district that provides lunch at any school site shall make breakfast accessible as part of a breakfast program if 25 percent or more of the students at the school site are eligible students or the school site qualifies for assistance under Chapter I of Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.(4) A school district that makes breakfast accessible as provided under subsection (3) of this section may apply to the Department of Education for a waiver for all or for particular grade levels if the school district is financially unable to implement a breakfast program. The department may grant a waiver to the school district for a period not to exceed two years, after which the school district must reestablish its claim of financial hardship if the waiver is to be extended.(5) If the per meal federal reimbursement for the breakfast program falls below the 1991 reimbursement levels, a school district may elect to discontinue the program until federal funding is restored to those levels. No waiver is required for such election.(6) A school district that makes breakfast accessible at any school site shall make breakfast accessible at that school site at no charge as provided by ORS 327.531 (1) or (2). The department shall provide reimbursement to the school district for each breakfast provided at no charge as provided by ORS 327.545.(7)(a) Except as provided by subsection (8) of this section, a school district that makes breakfast accessible at a school site may choose to make breakfast accessible at that school site after the beginning of the school day.(b) Time spent by students consuming breakfast is considered instructional time when students consume breakfast in the students' classroom and instruction is being provided while students are consuming breakfast. No more than 15 minutes may be considered instructional time when students are consuming breakfast.(8)(a) If 70 percent or more of the students at a school site are eligible students, the school district must make breakfast accessible at that school site after the beginning of the school day.(b) A school district that is required to make breakfast accessible as prescribed by paragraph (a) of this subsection must ensure that breakfast is: (A) Accessible to all students after the beginning of the school day, regardless of grade or arrival time; and(B) Provided at no charge to all students, regardless of whether a student is an eligible student.(c) The department shall provide technical assistance to school districts to meet the requirements of this subsection. Technical assistance may include the development of breakfast delivery models.(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, if a school district can demonstrate that 70 percent or more of the eligible students at a school site regularly receive breakfast at the school site without the school district complying with paragraph (a) of this subsection, the school district is not required to comply with paragraph (a) of this subsection.(9)(a) The department may award grants or enter into contracts to enable school districts to make breakfast accessible as required under subsection (8) of this section. Each grant or contract may not exceed $5,000 per school site and must be used to purchase or upgrade necessary equipment required to provide breakfast after the beginning of the school day.(b) The department may enter into a contract with a public or private entity for the purposes of the entity providing: (A) Technical assistance to applicants for and recipients of grants; and(B) Administration of the grant program.(10) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this section.Amended by 2023 Ch. 570, § 3, eff. 7/31/2023.Amended by 2021 Ch. 350, § 8, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by 2021 Ch. 119, § 2, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by 2019 Ch. 122, § 26, eff. 91st day after sine die, op. 7/1/2020.Amended by 2015 Ch. 634, § 1, eff. 7/1/2015.1991 c.500 §1; 2009 c. 885, § 49