Free Lunch for All! The Effect of the Community Eligibility Provision on Academic Outcomes

Gordanier, John; Öztürk, Orgül; Williams, Breyon; Zhan, Crystal

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3333530

Cited by 8 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Two studies examined universal free school meals and attendance. Gordanier et al evaluated 3–8th grade students throughout South Carolina and found CEP was inversely associated with absences (i.e., improved attendance) among elementary students but not middle school students [ 88 ]. Bartfeld and colleagues examined elementary schools throughout Wisconsin and found that after two years of exposure, there were no associations between CEP and overall attendance rates, but a 3.5 percentage point reduction was observed in the percent of low-income students with low attendance ( p = 0.045) [ 89 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among studies examining school meal provisions that include lunch in the U.S., Gordanier et al’s study among 3–8th grade students in South Carolina found that CEP was positively associated with math test scores (0.06 standard deviation increase) among elementary students, but did not have any significant associations with reading scores in elementary school, nor any test scores among middle school students [ 88 ]. Similarly, Schwartz et al found a positive association between Provision 2 and academic performance among middle school students in New York City; math and English Language Arts standardized test scores were significantly higher, with the greatest improvements observed among higher-income students [ 39 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Failure to sign up for free or reduced-price meals may occur due to social stigma, a lack of information, or challenges with enrolling. Universal free meals also reach students who come from households with food insecurity, but which are not eligible for reduced-priced meals due to family incomes slightly above the eligibility threshold (185% of the federal poverty level) [ 88 , 101 , 102 , 103 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

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The school environment plays an important role in children’s diets and overall health, and policies for universal free school meals have the potential to contribute to positive child health outcomes. This systematic review evaluates studies examining the association between universal free school meals and students’ school meal participation rates, diets, attendance, academic performance, and Body Mass Index (BMI), as well as school finances. The search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A search for studies published in economically developed countries published through December 2020 was performed in PubMed, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science, and Academic Search Ultimate, followed by examining the references in the resultant literature. A total of 47 studies were identified and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was applied to assess bias. Nearly all studies examining universal free school meals found positive associations with school meal participation. Most studies examining universal free school meals that included free lunch found positive associations with diet quality, food security, and academic performance; however, the findings of studies examining only universal free breakfast were mixed. Research findings were similarly mixed when examining attendance as an outcome. Concerns about adverse outcomes on student BMI were not supported by the literature; in fact, several studies detected a potentially protective effect of universal free school meals on BMI. Research examining the impact of universal free meals on school finances was limited, but suggest that lower-income school districts in the U.S. may have positive financial outcomes from participation in universal free school meal provisions. Additionally, providing free meals to students may be associated with improved household incomes, particularly among lower-income families with children. Further research is needed to examine the financial implications of universal free meals for both school districts and families. Overall, universal free school meals may have multiple benefits for students and countries should consider universal free school meal provisions with strong nutrition guidelines. (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020221782).

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

et al. 2021

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“…In South Carolina, Gordanier et al detected a significant increase (0.06 standard deviations) in elementary school math scores, but no change in elementary school reading scores or middle school scores. 36 In a national evaluation, Ruffini found that across grade levels, reading scores did not change but math scores increased 0.02 standard deviations in districts with the largest shares of students becoming eligible for free meals. 30 After scaling by the share of newly eligible students, access to free meals increased math performance by 0.05 standard deviations.…”

Section: Student Academic Performance Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of The Community Eligibility Provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on Student Nutrition, Behavior, and Academic Outcomes: 2011–2019

2020

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The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows high-poverty schools participating in US Department of Agriculture meal programs to offer universal free breakfast and lunch. Authorized as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, CEP became available to eligible schools nationwide in 2014. Emerging evidence suggests that schools that provide universal free meals experience positive impacts on student nutrition, behavior, and academic performance. In particular, schools benefit from increased meal participation rates. There is mixed evidence of impacts on test scores and attendance, and limited but promising results showing improvements in weight outcomes, on-time grade promotion rates, disciplinary referrals, and food security. In this article, we summarize the growing evidence base and suggest policy approaches to increase the use of CEP by eligible schools. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 25, 2020: e1–e6. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305743)

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“…Previous studies evaluating the effect of CEP participation on student-level participation, including the pilot program evaluation, have found that the CEP is associated with 5–8% higher meal participation rates, with the largest effect among students near the eligibility cutoff [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Additional benefits of CEP participation include reduced absenteeism and suspension rates [ 12 , 13 ], and improved academic achievement and perceptions of school climate [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Research on the obesity implications of CEP participation has produced mixed results, varying from no change to reduced obesity among certain student groups [ 14 , 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Universal Free Meals Associated with Lower Meal Costs While Maintaining Nutritional Quality

2021

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The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows the provision of universal free meals (UFMs) in high-poverty school areas. Participation in UFM programs, including through CEP, could reduce meal costs due to economies of scale and a lower administrative burden. We analyzed the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) data from 508 UFM-eligible schools (103 UFMs) to evaluate whether meal costs varied by UFM status. We used school-level data to address the non-random selection to UFMs with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). We estimated a generalized linear model with a log link and gamma distribution to predict meal costs by UFM status and school size. Full costs among medium and large schools were marginally lower in UFM schools for lunch (−$0.673; 95% CI: −1.395, 0.0499; p = 0.068) and significantly lower for breakfast (−$0.575; 95% CI: −1.077, −0.074; p = 0.025). UFM was not associated with meal costs among smaller schools. Healthy Eating Index scores did not vary significantly by UFMs, suggesting that lower costs could be achieved without an adverse effect on nutritional quality. This analysis is limited by the lack of identified student percentage (ISP) data needed to definitively identify CEP eligibility, although results were robust to sensitivity analyses addressing the lack of ISP data. The potential policy impact of these findings emphasizes the need for future studies that assess ISP and cost with more recent data and longitudinal designs.

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Free Lunch for All! The Effect of the Community Eligibility Provision on Academic Outcomes

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

Universal School Meals and Associations with Student Participation, Attendance, Academic Performance, Diet Quality, Food Security, and Body Mass Index: A Systematic Review

Impact of The Community Eligibility Provision of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act on Student Nutrition, Behavior, and Academic Outcomes: 2011–2019

Universal Free Meals Associated with Lower Meal Costs While Maintaining Nutritional Quality

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