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This study aimed to examine the impact of federal- and state-level Universal Free School Meal (UFSM) policies and related policies on National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) participation rates during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This comparative effectiveness research study used a natural experiment created by the COVID-19 pandemic to analyze school-level data from the 2019 to 2020 school-year period to the 2023 to 2024 school-year period. Federal UFSM during the COVID-19 pandemic increased NSLP and SBP participation by 10 percentage points and 8 percentage points, respectively, where percentage points refers to absolute changes in participation rates. Deimplementation in school year 2022 to 2023 reduced participation by 12 percentage points for NSLP and 10 percentage points for SBP. States that maintained UFSM policies showed consistently higher participation rates compared with states that discontinued UFSM, with increases between 9 and 19 percentage points (NSLP) and between 5 and 26 percentage points (SBP) in the first year of policy implementation, relative to the prior year. CEP participation resulted in substantial participation gains (23 percentage points for NSLP, 13 percentage points for SBP). State policies with limited free meal expansions showed no significant effect. Results of this comparative research analysis suggest that UFSM policies may effectively increase school meal participation, indicating the need for sustained state and federal support to increase participation rates and potentially mitigate diet-related disparities and food insecurity among children.
Published: August 2025
ID #: 81355
Journal: JAMA Pediatr
Authors: Ramponi F, Zhou H, Gosliner W, Ohri-Vachaspati P, Orta-Aleman D, Ritchie L, Schwartz M, Turner L, Verguet S, Cohen J
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Elementary-age children (grades K to 5), Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Keywords: COVID-19, School meal programs
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: National
Focus Area: School & After School
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