Lancaster County schools are doing a better job of assuring that students start the day with a nutritious meal, according to a statewide review of school breakfast programs.

But the Pennsylvania School Breakfast Report Card found that two districts — Ephrata and Donegal — continue to fall short in serving breakfast to low-income students.

The review, by the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, praised a third district, Conestoga Valley, for more than doubling the number of morning meals it serves to low-income students.

"Research has continually shown that eating breakfast at school can help a child's academic performance, improve their behavior and reduce the risk of obesity," Chad Newton, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, said in a news release.

"That's why it's important to look at these results and see who's getting the job done in our state and who isn't."

The report found that 28 schools in Pennsylvania started breakfast programs in 2007-08, up from just nine in 2006-07.

But participation increased only slightly from the previous year, keeping Pennsylvania near the bottom of the national rankings.

The state last year ranked 41st among all states in school breakfast participation, according to the Food Research Action Center, and that ranking isn't expected to change this year.

In Lancaster County, 14 of 16 school districts offer breakfasts to at least some of their students.

The number of morning meals served here in 2007-08 grew by more than 10 percent from the previous year, while overall enrollment did not increase.

Still, fewer than 8 percent of all county students eat a school breakfast, while 61 percent eat a school lunch.

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The Hunger Action Center report lauded Conestoga Valley for increasing participation in its breakfast program by more than 150 percent, from 93 to 258 students, from 2006-07 to 2007-08.

The number of participating economically disadvantaged students — those who qualify for free or reduced-price meals because of family income — rose from 39 to 172, or 18 percent of that population.

Students from low-income families are less likely than other students to eat breakfast at home, researchers say.

CV was able to boost its numbers by expanding its breakfast program, which had been limited to the high school and middle school for most of 2006-07, said Adele Huntzinger, assistant director of business services.

In 2007-08, CV added full-service breakfasts with hot and cold foods at all its schools.

The food service department also met with students to discuss what items they wanted on the menu, which includes cold cereal, hot oatmeal, egg "hot pockets," sandwiches, wraps, waffles and fresh fruit.

"Especially at the secondary schools, that made a big difference," CV superintendent Gerald Huesken said.

The breakfast report cited Donegal and Ephrata as "Improvement Needed" districts for failing to serve breakfast to more than 15 percent of their low-income students.

Other county districts had lower participation rates, but the two districts were singled out because more than 20 percent of their students are economically disadvantaged.

Ephrata served 67 of 871 low-income students, or about 8 percent of that population, and Donegal served 73 of 649 students, or 11 percent, of its total.

Both percentages are up from 2006-07 but far below the county average of 19 percent of low-income students eating school breakfasts.

Ephrata spokeswoman Stephanie Gingrich said the number of free and reduced-price breakfasts served at Ephrata schools this year has increased by nearly 50 percent, and the district plans to take several steps to boost those numbers further.

In January, it will send a letter to families of students who receive free or reduced-price lunches notifying them that their children also qualify for the breakfast program.

Ephrata also will remind parents through district and school newsletters that they can apply for free or reduced-price meals at any time — not just at the start of the school year.

And the district will begin weekly prize drawings for students participating in the breakfast program when school resumes after the holiday break.

Among the prizes will be iTunes gift cards.

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Jeanne Kandra, Donegal food service director, said her district also has been promoting its breakfast program on its Web site and on school menus and newsletters sent home to parents.

Donegal also has used its automated telephone alert system to call parents' homes to notify them that breakfasts are offered at all elementary and middle schools, she said.

"We are working diligently to increase those numbers, but we can't force kids to get breakfast," Kandra said.

Donegal, which offers a "grab-and-go" menu that mainly offers cold cereal, fruit and juice, is considering adding hot foods next year and offering breakfasts at the high school, she said.

According to the Hunger Action Center report, Hempfield School District did the best job of serving breakfast to low-income students, feeding 30 percent of those students.

Pequea Valley, Columbia, Penn Manor and Eastern Lancaster County school districts also were among the top performers, feeding 24 percent to 27 percent of low-income students.

While schools are not required to serve breakfasts, the government offers financial incentives to those that do.

For 2008-09, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reimburses districts $1.40 for every free breakfast they serve, $1.10 for every reduced-price meal and 25 cents for every full-price breakfast.

The state also pays a few cents per meal for districts that add programs or exceed participation targets.

County districts generally charge less than $1.50 for a full-priced breakfast and less than 40 cents for a reduced-price meal.

E-mail: bwallace@lnpnews.com