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MIDDLETOWN — Starting this coming school year, every Middletown City Schools student will be offered a free breakfast, district officials said.

The district is expanding its participation in the universal and free school breakfast programs, which use federal and state money to reimburse schools offering breakfast to every student, regardless of income.

Breakfast items can include cereal, bagels, muffins, fruit, yogurt or breakfast bars.

Every Wednesday, a hot item is available, such as breakfast pizza, French toast sticks, breakfast pockets or a pancake on a stick, school officials said.

"There's no form to fill out, there's no eligibility," said Debbie Alberico, district communications specialist.

The breakfast is separate from the free and reduced lunch, Alberico said, and families will still need to fill out a form and be deemed eligible for the lunch program.

During the last school year, breakfast was offered to every student at Wildwood, Rosa Parks and Mayfield elementary schools, and Verity Middle School.

In the coming year, students will either eat breakfast in the cafeteria or take items to their classroom at every building, district officials said.

According to the Food Research and Action Center, children who eat breakfast closer to classtime score better on standardized tests. Children experiencing hunger also more commonly have behavior and academic problems, according to the national nonprofit organization.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2551 or mengle@coxohio.com.