A new working paper has been released under the California College Data and Policy Project (CCDPP)—a collaborative research initiative between the California Policy Lab (CPL) and CSHE.
The study evaluates the impact of Local Programs to Increase Employability (LPIE), a student exemption designed to expand CalFresh eligibility. The authors found that the LPIE designation has been particularly effective for University of California graduate students, increasing the share of students receiving benefits by an average of 10 percentage points. While the impact was smaller for undergraduates, the effect remained positive across the board.
Overall, the findings suggest that LPIE designations represent a highly promising strategy for addressing basic needs and increasing SNAP participation among California’s college students.
Read the full working paper here.