(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
The Missing Foundation: Why Schools Must Feed and Move Every Child [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-07-28
Part 1 of a 5-part series: “How Neuroscience Can Fix American Schools”
For decades, the United States has poured more money per student into public schools than almost any country in the world, yet national reading and math scores have stayed stubbornly flat. In nearly every election cycle, new reforms are promised, from high-stakes testing to mandatory laptops, but in classrooms from California to Kansas, the struggle remains the same: too many students can’t focus or learn, no matter what program we try.
This series will explore a different path, one grounded in the latest brain science about how children actually develop. Each part tackles an underappreciated “missing link” that could transform American education using solutions every public school could afford to implement.
Hungry Brains Can’t Learn
From the moment the first bell rings, too many children are already behind. A young child’s brain burns nearly half their daily calories just to support basic thinking and growth. Arriving at school hungry means their brains have less energy to spend on memory, focus, and self-control.
When every student in West Virginia’s universal meals pilot received free breakfast and lunch, teachers saw more attentive classrooms, better attendance, and fewer discipline problems. No child had to worry about the stigma of being singled out for a subsidized meal, because the program covered everyone.
California went statewide with a similar program, guaranteeing free meals for all students statewide, with no forms or means-testing. Participation soared, and families no longer had to choose between a child’s dignity and a full tray.
Movement Primes Young Minds
Just as important as a healthy meal is the chance to move. Physical activity isn’t just about letting off steam, it actually helps children’s brains wake up and get ready to learn. Even quick movement, like a set of jumping jacks or a walk around the playground before class, can sharpen focus and make it easier for students to remember what they’re taught.
But as schools squeeze out gym and recess for more test prep, we overlook a stack of evidence showing that regular physical activity does far more than tone muscles. In California’s original Project SPARK experiment, children who received 200 extra minutes of quality PE each week still matched or beat peers in reading and language scores even with less classroom time. A broad meta-analysis of 59 studies confirmed that aerobic exercise produces significant gains in grades and cognitive skills, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s review of 50 school-based studies found that PE, recess, and short “activity breaks” either improve, or at least never hurt, test scores. The takeaway is clear: cutting movement time doesn’t boost academics, it undercuts them.
Five Steps Any School Can Afford
Here’s what neuroscience and real-world evidence say every district can do, no matter their budget or zip code:
Serve universal free meals , breakfast and lunch, for every student, with no paperwork barriers and no stigma.
Start every school day with 15–20 minutes of movement : outdoor games, dance, stretching, or a walking club.
Integrate short movement breaks , possibly just two minutes, during lessons every 30 minutes to help brains refocus.
Guarantee daily, noncompetitive PE for all ages , not just rotating periods for athletes.
Offer flexible seating options, like standing desks or balance stools, so kids can shift and move as they learn.
These changes cost less than one failed tech rollout, and they work because they respect how children’s brains are built to learn: fueled, moving, and free from needless shame.
From Here, We Build
When schools provide the basic building blocks—a full plate and a chance to move—students show up ready to learn, behave better, and rise to higher expectations. But readiness is only the foundation. Even well-fed, energetic kids will struggle if they’re forced into a curriculum their brains aren’t mature enough to grasp.
Next, we’ll explore how aligning what we teach with how children’s brains grow, rather than sticking to one-size-fits-all standards, could finally unlock America’s schools for everyone.
Up next: “Why Common Core Failed, And What Brain Science Says We Should Do Instead.”
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/28/2335095/-The-Missing-Foundation-Why-Schools-Must-Feed-and-Move-Every-Child?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
