Does Receiving a Free School Lunch Lead to a Stigma Effect?

• In Event: Students' Compositions in Schools: International Evidence of Learning

Abstract

A common rationale for providing free lunch for all students is that selectively receiving a free meal at school causes a stigma effect. This study examines the hypothesis that eligibility to receive a school free lunch has negative effects on student educational outcomes, and that this stigma-effect is more severe in schools where a low proportion of students receives a free lunch at school. Our results reveal that free school lunch status does not have significant net impact on students’ average educational achievements or growth rate during middle school. Educational achievement in middle school is, however, significantly affected by the interaction between school free lunch status and the proportion of students in the school receiving a free school lunch.

Authors

• Baeksan Yu, University of Pittsburgh

• Hyejung Lim, Korea University

• Sean P. Kelly, University of Pittsburgh