Arthur Scarritt and Michael Kreiter from Boise State University’s Department of Sociology and the Syringa State Community Research Lab spoke with George Prentice of Boise State Public Radio on Mar. 25 about their recent research into the Boise School District’s free breakfast program.
The discussion centered on a report prepared by Scarritt, Kreiter, and McAllister Hall from the Idaho Policy Institute. The report examined how providing free breakfast affected students in the district.
According to their findings, offering free breakfast led to several positive outcomes for students who participated in the program. These included increased engagement in class, lower rates of tardiness, and improved test scores among economically disadvantaged students.
Scarritt said, “[Parents] really saw it as transformative. This was enormously successful in so many different demographics and so many different ways.”
The researchers said their work highlights how food security can have an immediate effect on educational opportunities and academic achievement for students.
