Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

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Dissertation (UNI Access Only)

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine outcomes associated with expanded access to free school meals among students who were not previously FRL‑eligible in a Midwestern school district. Using a repeated‑measures design, the study compares the same students across two academic years--- Year 1 (2016–2017), prior to districtwide CEP expansion, and Year 2 (2017–2018), after full CEP implementation. The study evaluates whether selected indicators—academic performance, measured by GPA and standardized assessments; behavior, measured by behavioral referrals, absences and tardies; and extracurricular participation, measures by count of activities a student participate in —differ between the two years for these students. Findings from this study may provide insight into how expanded universal meal access relates to student outcomes for populations not traditionally examined within CEP research and may inform future school meal policy and implementation decisions.

Year of Submission

2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services

First Advisor

Colleen Mulholland

Second Advisor

Julianne Gassman

Date Original

2026

Object Description

1 PDF file (65 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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