Free For All

In the worlds of education, child nutrition, and government research, the question is snap-crackle-popping loud: Can free breakfast for every student make a difference in how children learn?

This fall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a three-year study to determine whether mandatory breakfast served at school improves children's academic performance. In six districts across the country, entire schools of elementary kids—poor and privileged alike—are chewing Cheerios and muffins and slurping orange juice and milk at government expense. Similar inquiries—most notably in Maryland and Minnesota schools—have suggested that breakfast in all bellies boosts performance. The federal government, however, wants its own test, and some say the results could mean a new national policy.

Congress so far has approved $7 million to cover the first two years of the study, which is taking place in Shelby County, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Wichita, Kansas; Santa Rosa, California; the Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix; and the Harrison County School District in Gulfport, Mississippi. Department officials say lawmakers might consider a broader government- sponsored free breakfast program if they see improved attendance, test scores, and cognitive development at these sites. "Those are compelling reasons to look at it and say this is what's best for children in this country," says Shirley...