In this report, we use publicly available data to describe patterns in college-intending behaviors and postsecondary access for Missouri high school students compared to national trends. We also examine trends within Missouri by looking at high schools serving unique student bodies, by locality, and by region. Finally, we examine results for the class of 2019, the most recent class to have successfully completed high school prior to COVID-19-induced disruptions.

This Evidence PRiMER explains the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP )and then describes the existing research on the effect of CEP adoption on test scores, attendance, and behavior.