EAST PROVIDENCE — Reversing last month’s unanimous decision, most of the School Committee agreed Tuesday night to offer free breakfast to all in the district’s neediest schools.

The five elementary schools to start the Universal Free Breakfast Program on March 1 are Whiteknact, Orlo, Oldham, Kent Heights and Hennessey. They were chosen because they are the city’s Title 1 schools, a federal designation based on the large number of disadvantaged students enrolled at each.

Antipoverty advocates — who came in with protest signs and paper hearts clipped to their chests — were ecstatic when the decision was announced after more than an hour of discussion. One slumped to the carpet sobbing.

“I’m so tired,” said Maggie Rogers, a volunteer at the George Riley Center, in Pawtucket. The center and its Rhode Island Campaign to Eliminate Childhood Poverty representatives have been the biggest backers of implementing the universal program. It has been trying to get East Providence to sign on board for more than a year. “They’re tears of joy and a little frustration because [supporting the program] is so obvious.”

The program was first tested in late 2005 at Myron J. Francis and Oldham Elementary schools. In August, the committee voted to continue the pilot program for at least the first half of this school year and expanded it to Waddington and Orlo Elementary schools.

It provides students the free meal regardless of family income. Previously, families had to qualify for free or reduced-cost meals in the federal program to get breakfast — a program that is still used at the other city schools. That breakfast program began in 1966 but was made permanent under Title I legislation in 1975.

The committee chose not to continue the universal program last month after it heard a report from two residents, who volunteered last fall to gather data from it.

“What I heard that night was the universal program cost money to run,” said Committeewoman Eileen Lovett, who asked for the matter to be revisited Tuesday. “That is money we don’t have in our budget,and you can’t spend what you don’t have.”

Last month’s report said the program increased the number of students having breakfast at all four schools — by more than 50 percent at three, and by 42 percent at Oldham. However, revenue generated by students who previously paid for breakfast decreased at all four schools collectively by about $2,200, school finance officials repeated Tuesday.

“I’m willing to pay for those who are in need and they are getting it [with the federal program],” said former School Committee chairman Antone Gouveia Jr. He also disagreed with “segregating” the five schools and said there was “no direct correlation” or education data that supports eating breakfast will increase learning. “We want to believe that [there is such a correlation], but there are many high performing students out there that haven’t eaten breakfast since kindergarten.”

Families who don’t qualify for subsidies under federal rules are charged about $1 in other schools. The state and federal governments reimburse districts for each breakfast served, but only a portion of the cost to serve the meal and less if the served student’s family can afford it.

“I don’t need to subsidize people who don’t need it,” said Gouveia, the only audience member to not speak in favor of the program. “[The program] is another layer for people, who should be taking care of their own kids and can afford it, a way out. That’s all its doing and we’re not in a [financial] position to do it.”

One by one, supporters countered Gouveia’s comments. There were graduating seniors from Rhode Island College’s School of Nursing, a local school nurse, parents and grandparents who spoke after him.

An Oldham school nurse said, “I don’t think there was an abuse of the universal breakfast program, it was a big help. At my school, many of our families are the working poor. They make too much for welfare assistance, but not enough to [make ends meet]. They fall through the cracks, and this program helps those people.”

Parent John Lawlor, of Juniper Street, said, “I think I can say with authority that children that don’t eat breakfast don’t learn that day. Show the children who need breakfast that you have a heart.”

Committee chairwoman Mildred Morris and members Lovett and David Medeiros voted to institute the program. Committee members Robert Faria and Steve Santos, who agreed with Gouveia, opposed.

“The fact is more children were eating breakfast [with the program],” Lovett said. “… [The decision] is not a perfect solution, but it’s a beginning.”

apina@projo.com