Academic achievement, hunger and food security are closely related. When students arrive at school hungry they are often not ready to learn. School districts across the country are taking advantage of the Department of Education’s Community Eligibility Provision which allows school districts with more than 40% of students qualifying for Free or Reduced School Meals to offer meals at no-cost to all students.  School districts that offer these free meals to their students are seeing an increase in academic achievement. Research has shown a relationship between hunger and lower academic achievement, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when hungry students are fed they perform better in class.