Universal Access to Free School Meals and Student Achievement: Evidence from the Community Eligibility Provision

Krista Ruffini

Journal of Human Resources, 2022, vol. 57, issue 3, 776-820

Abstract: The school meals program is the largest nutritional assistance program for school-aged children. Whereas program eligibility historically was determined by family income, recent reforms allow schools to offer free meals to all students. This work evaluates the effect of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), the largest school-wide free meals program, on academic performance. I leverage within- and across-state variation in the timing of CEP participation and find universal free meals increases breakfast and lunch participation by 38 and 12 percent, respectively. Math performance improves in districts with baseline low free meal eligibility, particularly among racial/ethnic groups with low income-based participation rates.

JEL-codes: I18 I20 I38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
Note: DOI: 10.3368/jhr.57.3.0518-9509R3
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Universal Access to Free School Meals and Student Achievement: Evidence from the Community Eligibility Provision (2018)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:57:y:2022:i:3:p:776-820

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