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

Abstract

The school meals program is the largest nutritional assistance program for school-aged children. Whereas program eligibility was historically determined by family income, recent reforms allow schools to offer free meals to all students. This paper evaluates the effect of the Community Eligibility Provision, the largest schoolwide 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.