Poster #10 - The Association of Poverty and Food Insecurity With School Performance in Georgia

• In Event: 47.099 - MTCC Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: 47.099-1 - Division D Section 2 Statistical Theory and Quantitative Methodologies

Abstract

This research examines the short and long-term effects of poverty on school performance. Results indicate that an inverse relationship exists between the percentage of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), a widely used measure for children living in poverty, and school performance as measured by the percentage of students who pass the state’s fourth grade reading and math tests. Furthermore, these results differentiate short- and long-run effects of poverty on school performance. The findings imply that poverty increases the achievement gap between students in high performing and low performing schools, creating more educational disparities over the time, limiting students’ educational and career opportunities.

Authors

• Allison Ames Boykin, University of Arkansas

• Glenn Ames, University of Georgia - Athens

• Simone Angioloni, University of Georgia - Athens