Universal Free School Meals: Examining Factors Influencing Adoption of the Community Eligibility Provision

AAEA members publish research in AEPP

Colorado passed the Healthy School Meals for All program in 2022 and implemented the universal free school meal program in 2023-24 but fell short on funding by about $50 million by the end of its first program year. In 2022-23, only 35% of all eligible school districts participated in CEP. The state is now taking steps to increase CEP adoption to maximize federal reimbursement (see CO HB24-1390).

In the new article “Universal Free School Meals: Examining Factors Influencing Adoption of the Community Eligibility Provision” published in the Applied Econcomic Perspectives and Policy, Pratyoosh Kashyap from Virginia Tech and Becca B. R. Jablonski from Cornell University, examine whether the eligibility and policy factors that federal and state policymakers determine are related to adoption of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federally funded universal free school meal program.

The authors say, “Results show that school districts with an ISP under 62.5% are less likely to adopt CEP than school districts above 62.5%, i.e., the likelihood of adoption is significantly higher for school districts that receive reimbursement at the free rate for all meals served. “

If you are interested in setting up an interview, please contact Allison Ware in the AAEA Business Office.

ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes three journals, the Journal of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (an open access journal), the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices and the online open access publication series Applied Economics Teaching Resources. To learn more, visit www.aaea.org.

Contact: Allison Ware
Senior Communications & Membership Manager
(414) 918-3190
Email: aware@aaea.org