May Lynn Tan1, Barbara Laraia2, Kristine A Madsen3, Rucker C Johnson4, Lorrene Ritchie5. 1. Assistant Deputy Director, (may.lynn.tan@ucsf.edu), Evidence for Action, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California Street Suite 465, San Francisco, CA 94118. 2. Professor, (blaraia@berkeley.edu), University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720. 3. Associate Professor, (madsenk@berkeley.edu), University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, 2121 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720. 4. Chancellor's Professor, (ruckerj@berkeley.edu), University of California, Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy, 2607 Hearst Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720. 5. Director and Cooperative Extension Specialist, (lritchie@ucanr.edu), University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin St, 10th Floor, 10123, Oakland, CA, 94607.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs help to reduce food insecurity and improve nutrition. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) enables high-poverty schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students. This study examines associations between CEP and participation among students eligible for free or reduced-price meals ("FRPM"), possibly eligible ("near-cutoff"), or ineligible ("full-price"). METHODS: Using data from the 2013-2015 Healthy Communities Study, we compared school breakfast and lunch participation between 842 students in K-8 at 80 CEP schools and 1463 students at 118 schools without CEP. Cross-sectional difference-in-difference (DID) models compared meal participation among near-cutoff and full-price groups to that in the FRPM group. RESULTS: Overall, FRPM students had high participation in school lunch and breakfast at both types of schools. In adjusted DID models, lunch participation among near-cutoff students was 12 points higher in CEP versus comparison schools (p < .05). Among full-price students, breakfast participation was 20 points higher and lunch participation 19 points higher in CEP than comparison schools (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Community Eligibility Provision improves access to school breakfast and lunch in high-poverty schools, particularly for students who are near or above the cutoff for FRPM eligibility.
BACKGROUND: The National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs help to reduce food insecurity and improve nutrition. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) enables high-poverty schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all students. This study examines associations between CEP and participation among students eligible for free or reduced-price meals ("FRPM"), possibly eligible ("near-cutoff"), or ineligible ("full-price"). METHODS: Using data from the 2013-2015 Healthy Communities Study, we compared school breakfast and lunch participation between 842 students in K-8 at 80 CEP schools and 1463 students at 118 schools without CEP. Cross-sectional difference-in-difference (DID) models compared meal participation among near-cutoff and full-price groups to that in the FRPM group. RESULTS: Overall, FRPM students had high participation in school lunch and breakfast at both types of schools. In adjusted DID models, lunch participation among near-cutoff students was 12 points higher in CEP versus comparison schools (p < .05). Among full-price students, breakfast participation was 20 points higher and lunch participation 19 points higher in CEP than comparison schools (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Community Eligibility Provision improves access to school breakfast and lunch in high-poverty schools, particularly for students who are near or above the cutoff for FRPM eligibility.
Authors: Juliana F W Cohen; Amelie A Hecht; Gabriella M McLoughlin; Lindsey Turner; Marlene B Schwartz Journal: Nutrients Date: 2021-03-11 Impact factor: 5.717