A new study finds a large achievement gap between wealthy school districts and districts with many economically disadvantaged students. As Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow reports -- one group says hunger has a big role to play in this problem.
Lisa Hamler-Fugitt with the Ohio Association of Foodbankssays the new study from the Ohio Education Policy Institute shows that a hungry child has a harder time learning.
She says the state should do more when it comes ending the connection between poor academic performance and poverty.
“That children who are sitting in our classrooms are able to learn and that they got something in their stomachs so they can focus on their school work instead of their growling tummies.”
Hamler-Fugitt says there’s federal funding for school food programs, including those that can prevent what advocates call summer learning loss.