I assume you're asking who needs numbers relating to academic performance to justify helping poor kids? I don't know if you missed US politics from 2017-2021, but the President's Budget Chief (and later Chief of Staff) (Mick Mulvaney) said “[the US government feeding poor kids is] supposed to help kids who don’t get fed at home so they do better in school, Guess what? There’s no demonstrable evidence they’re actually doing that. There’s no demonstrable evidence they’re actually helping results, helping kids do better in school.”

Then he proposed cutting the budget for school lunches. The Secretary in charge also did a number on those programs.