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Berkeley, April 22, 2025—A new report from the nonpartisan California Policy Lab (CPL) shows that many low-income young adults are not staying enrolled in CalFresh after their transition from high school to college or the workforce. The study, conducted in partnership with California’s education and social services agencies, finds that fewer than half (47%) of students who receive CalFresh in their senior year of high school continue receiving benefits two years after graduation, despite many still qualifying for the support. CalFresh is California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP.
The report is the first of its kind to analyze whether young adults stay enrolled in CalFresh during this transition. The findings are expected to inform strategies for better supporting low-income students to stay enrolled. The results also provide new insights on how existing eligibility policies may make it harder for students, especially those who go on to community college, to stay connected to food assistance.
“Among college-bound high school students who stop participating in CalFresh, we estimate that more than half are still eligible,” explains co-author Jesse Rothstein, Professor of Public Policy and Economics at UC Berkeley and the faculty director of the California Policy Lab’s UC Berkeley site. “That’s a significant drop-off, and our goal is to shed some light on the causes of that drop-off and if there are ways to address it.”
Key Report Findings:
- CalFresh participation declines after high school. While 19% of high school seniors participate in CalFresh, fewer than half of these students are still enrolled two years later.
- Among college-bound high students who stopped participating in CalFresh when they entered college, the researchers estimate that more than half (60%) were still eligible. Many of the remaining 40% had low incomes, but did not meet the additional eligibility criteria required for college students to qualify for CalFresh.
- Continuity in CalFresh participation improved during the pandemic, possibly due to temporary policies. High school graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 were more likely to continue receiving CalFresh in college, likely due to temporary COVID-era policies that eased eligibility restrictions and increased benefit amounts.
Policy Implications:
Targeted Outreach and Enrollment Support: The majority (60%) of college-bound students who stop participating after high school are still eligible, but may need help to stay enrolled. Hispanic and Filipino students at community colleges are less likely to continue participating in CalFresh as compared to their White peers, and may benefit from targeted outreach and assistance through the application process to keep them connected to benefits.
Pandemic-Era Policies: Students who graduated during the pandemic were more likely to continue participating in CalFresh. This is likely because temporary pandemic-era policy reforms expanded eligibility to more low-income students, reduced the administrative burden to apply for CalFresh, and increased monthly payment amounts. Federal and state policymakers should consider what lessons can be drawn from the pandemic experience to reduce administrative burdens and ease eligibility for low-income students.
Background on CalFresh and this research
This research is conducted through the new California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP). The Project is a joint initiative of the California Policy Lab and the Center for Studies in Higher Education, and is led by Professor Jesse Rothstein, Professor of Public Policy and Economics at UC Berkeley and holder of the Carmel Friesen Chair in Public Policy and the David Gardner Chair in Higher Education. The CCDPP will generate new insights and research on what works to better support California students and their families as they transition through the education system.
The report is also part of CPL’s “Student Supports” project, examining California college student access to safety-net benefits and how support affects educational outcomes. The research builds on a 2024 report by the California Policy Lab that estimated the number of UC and California community college students who were eligible for, and participating in, CalFresh. The California Policy Lab is also working with partners to develop and test new ways to help more eligible low-income students keep the food benefits support they need. For more information on this report and on the Student Supports project, please see this overview.
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The California Policy Lab is an institute based at the University of California that generates research insights for government impact. Through hands-on partnerships with government agencies, CPL performs rigorous research across issue silos and builds the data infrastructure necessary to improve programs and policies that millions of Californians rely on every day. For more information, visit capolicylab.org.