In October, two nonprofits labeled the Jersey City school district an "underachiever" for not serving free or reduced-price school breakfasts to more than 80 percent of eligible students.

Eight months later, the district has stepped up to the plate with a pilot program, which started Monday at nearly half a dozen schools and is aimed at increasing the number of eligible kids who receive free/reduced breakfasts at school.

The initial results are encouraging, with the number of students receiving free/reduced breakfasts at School 12 increasing by about 90 percent.

"That's amazing," said Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of Advocate for Children of New Jersey, one of the two nonprofits that had chided the school district for its low participation rate. "We're so excited that the superintendent has stepped up in Jersey City and made this a commitment."

The key to the district's early success is simple. The 11 schools participating in the program are now serving breakfast in classrooms at 8:30 a.m., when students are required to be at school. Before, breakfast was served in the schools' cafeterias starting at 8 o'clock.