The Garden State is feeding a lot more low-income students breakfast at school. However, officials say there’s more work to be done.

More students in need are receiving the most important meal of the day according to Cecilia Zalkind.   

“We’ve seen a 21 percent increase the number of students receiving school breakfasts.”

The Advocates for Children of New Jersey’s Executive Director says more than 28,000 students are eating breakfast after school begins compared to two years ago.

 “Districts that have been creative like Newark who focus on breakfast after the bell in the classroom are having greater success.”

New Jersey’s Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher says while Newark is successfully expanding school breakfast participation, other districts are falling behind.

“What we’re hoping here is that Newark will embarrass the rest of the state because the rest of the state, we’re not at the level we want to be.”

More than 470,000 students are eligible to receive breakfast, but only 35 percent of them participate.