Poster #3 - Household Food Insecurity and Academic Growth Trajectories: Evidence From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study

• In Event: 51.082 - MTCC Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: 51.082-1 - Longitudinal Studies Poster Session

Abstract

This study utilized Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011) to investigate the effects of household food insecurity on children’s academic growth trajectories among mathematics, reading, and science. We used propensity matching to correct for selection bias. Then we used linear growth curve modeling that permits estimation of each child’s trajectory of academic growth from kindergarten to second grade. The results found that household insecurity status did not serve a critical predictor for identifying children with delayed trajectories of academic development. This study, to some extends, provided the evidence for the effectiveness of school food and nutrition programs to reduce the negative impacts of household insecurity on children’s academic growth during the past decade in the United States.

Authors

• Meng Fan, Human Resources Research Organization

• Rui Wang, University of Delaware

• Ruixue Liu, University of Kentucky