Universal Free Meals Pilot Project Evaluation Report Office of Research WEST VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION 2012-2013 L. Wade Linger Jr., President Gayle C. Manchin, Vice President Robert W. Dunlevy, Secretary Thomas W. Campbell, Member Michael I. Green, Member Lloyd G. Jackson II, Member William M. White, Member Paul L. Hill, Ex Officio Chancellor West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission James L. Skidmore, Ex Officio Chancellor West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education James B. Phares, Ex Officio State Superintendent of Schools West Virginia Department of Education Universal Free Meals Pilot Project Evaluation Report Anduamlak Meharie Andy Whisman Nate Hixson Patricia Cahape Hammer Yetty A. Shobo Amber Stohr West Virginia Department of Education Division of Teaching and Learning Office of Research Building 6-Room 722 State Capitol Complex 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East Charleston, WV 25305 http://wvde.state.wv.us/ February 2013 James B. Phares State Superintendent of Schools West Virginia Department of Education Robert Hull Associate Superintendent West Virginia Department of Education Juan D’Brot Executive Director Office of Research Keywords Child nutrition, community economic option, free and reduced-price meals, child poverty, student achievement, student behavior, student attendance, elementary education, secondary education Suggested Citation Meharie A., Whisman A., Hixson N., Hammer, P.C., Shobo, Y. A., & Stohr A. (2013). Universal Free Meals Pilot project evaluation report. Charleston, WV: West Virginia Department of Education, Division of Teaching and Learning, Office of Research. Content Contacts Anduamlak Meharie, Ph.D. Andy Whisman, Ph.D. Coordinator, Research and Evaluation Coordinator, Research and Evaluation Office of Research Office of Research [email protected] [email protected] Executive Summary The West Virginia Universal Free Meals Pilot project provided a nutritious breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of financial need in 72 schools in seven counties during the 2011–2012 school year. This report examines the implementation and impacts of this pilot project. The rationale for the pilot project was supported by research on several fronts. Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA, 2011b) showed high levels of food insecurity and hunger across the country. These conditions were especially severe in West Virginia, where 14.1% of residents live in food insecure households. Other recent research has shown that 90,633 children live below the poverty line in the state (West Virginia Kids Count Fund, 2010). With this level of economic distress, academic outcomes could well be affected. Research consistently shows that hungry students do not learn as well as children who have been adequately fed (Abalkhail & Shawky, 2002; Chandler, Walker, Connolly, & Grantham- McGregor, 1995; Edward & Evers, 2001; Grantham-McGregor, Chang, & Walker, 1998; Jacoby, Cueto, & Pollitt, 1998; Kleinman, et al., 2002; Meyers, et al., 1989; Murphy, et al., 1998; Powell, Grantham-McGregor, & Elston, 1983; Richter, Rose, & Griesel, 1997; in Taras, 2005). Yet, providing free meals to economically disadvantaged students can pose social barriers for them, causing them to feel humiliated by accepting free or reduced-price meals, while other students can afford to pay for them. Economic barriers also exist for families whose earnings fall just above the cutoff, making their children ineligible for free or reduced- price meals. Bills for school meals can be too much for some families to afford, especially for families with more than one child in school. Social, as well as economic barriers can be overcome, however, as shown in a small number of studies. For example, one study showed that by offering a universal free breakfast, participation in a school breakfast program was destigmatized for economically disadvantaged students (Pertschuk, 2002). Additionally, economic challenges for schools and districts in offering free meals to all of their students may not be as daunting as previously thought. According to Murphy and colleagues (1998), schools where 70% or more of students receive free or reduced-price meals can provide breakfast for all students with minimal extra funding. In light of these and other studies, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) launched the Universal Free Meals Pilot project beginning in the 2011–2012 school year, as a way to improve outcomes for children living in impoverished communities. In all, 72 schools located in seven county school districts (i.e., Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Lincoln, Mason, Mingo, and McDowell) elected to participate in the project. Approximately 26,000 students attended schools in these counties. An average of 70% of those students who attended elementary schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals; for middle schools, the average was 71%; and for high schools, 59%. iii Executive Summary In July 2011, district superintendents in participating counties met with the state superintendent to discuss the Universal Free Meals Pilot project. Participating counties in the pilot project agreed to eliminate processed foods, increase school-made meals, and expand food choices to students. Six of the seven participating counties decided to offer free meals at breakfast and lunchtime during the pilot year. The remaining county made the decision to participate in a free breakfast program only, due to budgetary concerns. In August 2011, cafeteria managers (head cooks) from participating schools attended a 1-day training in Cabell County. The training, conducted by 16 cooks from Cabell County, focused on cooking from scratch.1 Trained cafeteria managers then provided a similar training to cooks in their respective schools and counties. After the initial training, cafeteria managers in participating counties periodically attended additional training sessions, facilitated by food service directors, to try out new recipes and exchange ideas. It is important to point out that although all participating counties had to agree to increase the level of school-made meals during the pilot project, some counties had already been making a gradual shift away from heat-and-serve (prepackaged processed foods) to school-made meals (cooking from scratch) for a few years prior to the pilot project. While the Office of Child Nutrition provided conceptual guidance and technical assistance with regard to providing meals to all students, participating districts and schools were at liberty to implement and adapt the project in ways that best suited their particular circumstances. Breakfast was offered through one of three strategies recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA, 2011a): 1. Breakfast after first period—sometimes called a nutrition break or second-chance breakfast, students eat breakfast during a break in the morning, often between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. 2. Grab ‘n’ go breakfast—breakfasts are packaged in paper bags, boxes, or trays. Students pick up their breakfast and eat it when and where they want, within school guidelines. 3. Breakfast in the classroom—students eat breakfast in the classroom at the beginning of the day or during morning break time. Breakfasts can be either hot or cold, depending on a school's facilities. Changes in the lunch program were limited primarily to menu offerings and levels of participation, but not in the mode of delivery. Evaluation Questions 1 Cabell County cooks had been trained as part of their participation in Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, during the 2009–2010 school year. The project, which was videotaped and televised in a six-part, primetime series on ABC, promoted meals made from scratch by school cooks using recipes and menus created by Jamie Oliver, a well-known British chef. iv | Universal Free Meals Pilot Project Executive Summary We investigated (a) the implementation of the Universal Free Meals Pilot project to inform the department about any adjustments they may wish to make in its operation, and (b) the extent to which impacts such as those reported in the research cited above were evident at the end of the first year of implementation. Our evaluation addressed the following questions: EQ1. How do various stakeholder groups perceive the implementation and outcomes of the pilot project? EQ2. To what extent is participation in the Universal Free Meals Pilot associated with positive student achievement outcomes as measured by the state summative assessment (i.e., WESTEST 2) and academic grades? EQ3. To what extent have attendance rates changed over time among students who are enrolled in pilot schools? EQ4. To what extent has disciplinary behavior changed among students who are enrolled in pilot schools? Methods To study Evaluation Question 1 (EQ1), the implementation and perceived outcomes of the pilot project, we gathered data through surveys and interviews (individual and focus group) about stakeholders’ experiences with the pilot project. An attempt was made to survey all school staff from the 72 pilot schools twice during the course of the year, using an online questionnaire developed in collaboration with the Office of Child Nutrition. A total of 489 useable responses were submitted from six of the participating county school districts in the end-of-year survey, conducted in mid May 2012. Additionally, between early March and early June 2012, a total of 142 individuals, representing eight stakeholder groups, participated in this study. Three researchers