The Effects of Safety Net Program Participation on Achievement Measures

• In Event: New Trends in Disability, Work, and Federal Disability Programs

Abstract

Across the United States (US), over 11 million children are living in poverty. Moreover, there is stark variation in child poverty by region, where the child poverty rate varies from 6.9 percent to 26.4 percent. The adverse effects of child poverty include hardships and trauma that could have a persistent and detrimental effect on a child's physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive well-being (Bradley et al., 2001; Chaudry & Wimer, 2016; Duncan et al., 2011; Evans, 2004). Children who grow up in poverty are less likely to graduate from high school and have lower earnings into adulthood (Chaudry & Wimer, 2016; Dearing, 2008). Childhood poverty is a grave and pertinent misfortune that requires intervention and support to ensure every child has a fair opportunity to succeed and thrive.

One policy approach to fight poverty in the US is the social safety net. The social safety net aims to provide resources to families experiencing economic hardship. Theses resources are provided in the form of cash assistance (TANF), healthcare (CHIP and Medicaid), in kind benefits (SNAP, WIC, childcare subsidies) and tax benefits (EITC, CTC). These programs aim to mitigate the adverse effects of economic instability across households.

The evidence of the effects of participation span various disciplines. It suggests that participating in safety net programs provides short-term and immediate benefits to maternal and child health, economic circumstances, and family well-being (Aizer et al., 2022; Tach & Edin, 2017; Gassman-Pines & Hill, 2013). Separately, evidence suggests that improved health and well-being for children are associated with improved cognitive development and achievement (Almond et al., 2018; Evans & Garthwaite, 2014; Figlio et al., 2014). Based on these short-term impacts, there are plausible pathways to examine if participation in safety net programs can lead to improved educational trajectories. Additional evidence on the long-term benefits of participation can help increase buy-in for continued and additional funding for these programs.

This study synthesizes the current evidence on the effects of social safety net participation on achievement outcomes. In this study, I focus on supports that provide families with monthly resources. The review synthesizes causal evidence of participation after 1996. Five studies met the eligibility criteria: two studies of SNAP participation, two of TANF participation, and one of SCC participation. This evidence suggests that participating in safety net programs has an effect on academic achievement.

Additionally, I collected the studies that examine a correlation between participation and education outcomes to compare variables across studies. Eleven studies met this criterion: three each for SCC, SNAP, and TANF, and two for WIC. Studies used variables across domains that captured individual, parent, household, neighborhood, and state-level characteristics, highlighting a need for cross-sector data to explore the relationship between participation and academic measures.

This systematic review synthesizes the current evidence that examines the long term effects of participation in monthly support safety net programs on academic achievement. Based on the evidence, I discuss the data and infrastructure needed to generate rigorous, causal evidence to provide recommendations for future work that explores safety net participation and the educational impacts.

Author

• Katie Pullom, University of Pennsylvania
  Presenting Author