A Study on Chronic Absenteeism and Breakfast After the Bell

Schools are facing a crisis of chronic absenteeism: millions of students are missing at least three weeks of the school year.  Chronic absenteeism can lead to lower academic achievement, greater risk of dropping out, and worse employment prospects. In 2019, the No Kid Hungry campaign commissioned a study, conducted by the University of California Santa Barbara, to examine whether serving breakfast after the bell can reduce chronic absenteeism.

The study, conducted by Dr. Michael Gottfried and Jacob Kirksey at the University of California Santa Barbara, consisted of two analyses- one national and the other at the state-level.   The study found that Breakfast After the Bell programs can help reduce chronic absenteeism and improve other student outcomes.  This research reinforces that school breakfast can very much be intertwined with student success in schools that implement Breakfast After the Bell programs.

Micro-Report:

The micro-report provides a high-level summary of study results for a variety of stakeholders, including educators, advocates, and policymakers.   

Research Brief: 

The research brief provides detailed information on the study methodology for audiences who wish to more deeply dive into the research.