Weekend feeding (“BackPack”) programs that provide food to children have grown dramatically in recent years, yet their effects on educational outcomes have been little investigated. Our study combines administrative student data on test scores and absences in Northwest North Carolina elementary schools with primary data on program participation. School and student program eligibility criteria is used to estimate the intent-to-treat effect within a difference-in-difference-in-difference (DDD) framework. Results suggest a sizable 0.09 standard deviation improvement in reading scores, with a similar but weaker effect for math scores. These effects are strongest for the youngest and lowest performing students.

近年来，为儿童提供食物的周末喂养（“背包”）计划有了显着增长，但对教育成果的影响却鲜有研究。我们的研究将北卡罗来纳州西北部西北小学的考试成绩和缺勤情况的行政学生数据与计划参与的主要数据相结合。学校和学生计划的资格标准用于在“差异中差异”（DDD）框架内估算“意向治疗”效果。结果表明阅读分数有可观的0.09标准偏差改善，数学分数的影响相似但较弱。对于最年轻和成绩最低的学生，这些影响最为明显。