The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of standardized test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) of students enrolled in Unicoi County Schools, that offers a universal breakfast program, compared with mean scores of students in both public and private schools in the state of Tennessee during the 2007-2008 school year. Test results of 404 Unicoi County third and fourth graders were examined with only the mathematics and reading and language arts sections of the TCAP used in this research. The State means were calculated using data collected from TCAP mathematics and reading and language arts tests in 222 public and private school systems across Tennessee.
The concept that nutrition, eating breakfast in particular, played an integral role in cognition has been considered for years. Student assessments are now measured using standardized tests. A school system that featured a universal breakfast program and TCAP scores provided a connection between the 2 areas.
Four research questions guided the study. One null hypothesis was generated from each of these questions for a total of 4 null hypotheses. Four one-sample t tests were computed to evaluate the data.
The results of the one-sample t tests were that there were no statistically significant differences between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in third grade mathematics and reading and language arts. However, there was a statistically significant increase between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in fourth grade mathematics and reading and language arts. From the results of the study, it was suggested that school administrators consider implementing school breakfast and universal breakfast programs.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of standardized test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) of students enrolled in Unicoi County Schools, that offers a universal breakfast program, compared with mean scores of students in both public and private schools in the state of Tennessee during the 2007-2008 school year. Test results of 404 Unicoi County third and fourth graders were examined with only the mathematics and reading and language arts sections of the TCAP used in this research. The State means were calculated using data collected from TCAP mathematics and reading and language arts tests in 222 public and private school systems across Tennessee.</p><p>The concept that nutrition, eating breakfast in particular, played an integral role in cognition has been considered for years. Student assessments are now measured using standardized tests. A school system that featured a universal breakfast program and TCAP scores provided a connection between the 2 areas.</p><p>Four research questions guided the study. One null hypothesis was generated from each of these questions for a total of 4 null hypotheses. Four one-sample <em>t</em> tests were computed to evaluate the data.</p><p>The results of the one-sample <em>t</em> tests were that there were no statistically significant differences between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in third grade mathematics and reading and language arts. However, there was a statistically significant increase between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in fourth grade mathematics and reading and language arts. From the results of the study, it was suggested that school administrators consider implementing school breakfast and universal breakfast programs.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Smith, Harold Lamar"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"EdD (Doctor of Education)","degree_level":"Dissertation - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:06Z","subjects":["obesity","universal breakfast program","Tennessee","standardized testing","Educational Sociology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1245","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Smith, Harold Lamar"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["obesity","universal breakfast program","Tennessee","standardized testing","Educational Sociology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2436/viewcontent/SmithH031511f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1245"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of standardized test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) of students enrolled in Unicoi County Schools, that offers a universal breakfast program, compared with mean scores of students in both public and private schools in the state of Tennessee during the 2007-2008 school year. Test results of 404 Unicoi County third and fourth graders were examined with only the mathematics and reading and language arts sections of the TCAP used in this research. The State means were calculated using data collected from TCAP mathematics and reading and language arts tests in 222 public and private school systems across Tennessee.
The concept that nutrition, eating breakfast in particular, played an integral role in cognition has been considered for years. Student assessments are now measured using standardized tests. A school system that featured a universal breakfast program and TCAP scores provided a connection between the 2 areas.
Four research questions guided the study. One null hypothesis was generated from each of these questions for a total of 4 null hypotheses. Four one-sample t tests were computed to evaluate the data.
The results of the one-sample t tests were that there were no statistically significant differences between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in third grade mathematics and reading and language arts. However, there was a statistically significant increase between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in fourth grade mathematics and reading and language arts. From the results of the study, it was suggested that school administrators consider implementing school breakfast and universal breakfast programs.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An Examination of Third and Fourth Grade TCAP Scores and the Universal Breakfast Program in Unicoi County Tennessee."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Smith, Harold Lamar"],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of standardized test scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) of students enrolled in Unicoi County Schools, that offers a universal breakfast program, compared with mean scores of students in both public and private schools in the state of Tennessee during the 2007-2008 school year. Test results of 404 Unicoi County third and fourth graders were examined with only the mathematics and reading and language arts sections of the TCAP used in this research. The State means were calculated using data collected from TCAP mathematics and reading and language arts tests in 222 public and private school systems across Tennessee.
The concept that nutrition, eating breakfast in particular, played an integral role in cognition has been considered for years. Student assessments are now measured using standardized tests. A school system that featured a universal breakfast program and TCAP scores provided a connection between the 2 areas.
Four research questions guided the study. One null hypothesis was generated from each of these questions for a total of 4 null hypotheses. Four one-sample t tests were computed to evaluate the data.
The results of the one-sample t tests were that there were no statistically significant differences between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in third grade mathematics and reading and language arts. However, there was a statistically significant increase between the Unicoi County and State TCAP score means in fourth grade mathematics and reading and language arts. From the results of the study, it was suggested that school administrators consider implementing school breakfast and universal breakfast programs.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2436/viewcontent/SmithH031511f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1245"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["obesity","universal breakfast program","Tennessee","standardized testing","Educational Sociology","Social and Behavioral Sciences","Sociology"],"dc:title":["An Examination of Third and Fourth Grade TCAP Scores and the Universal Breakfast Program in Unicoi County Tennessee."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:06Z"}