School breakfast = 17.5% higher scores on standardized math tests

According to new analysis, "Ending Childhood Hunger: A Social Impact Analysis" ensuring low-income children have access to a healthy school breakfast has the potential to dramatically impact their academic, health and economic futures. The study was developed in collaboration with Deloitte and analyzed third party studies and publicly available data.

Nationally, students on average who eat school breakfast have been shown to achieve 17.5% higher scores on standardized math tests and attend 1.5 more days of school per year. Research also shows students who attend class more regularly are 20% more likely to graduate from high school, and high school graduates typically earn $10,090 more a year while enjoying a 4% higher employment rate.

Analysis of Maryland data showed that if 70% of elementary and middle school kids eating a free or reduced-price lunch were also getting school breakfast in Maryland, this has the potential impact of 47,955 fewer school absences per year, 31,970 students scoring higher on standardize math tests per year, and 7,993 more high school graduates.

The analysis also compared Maryland schools participating in MMFA to those not participating and found that MMFA schools had as much as a 7.2% lower rate of chronic absenteeism and students in schools serving breakfast in their classrooms were up to 12.5% more likely to achieve proficiency on standardized math tests.

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