School Nutrition Programs Compliance Handbook
CHAPTER 11-LOCAL SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY
Schools and RCCIs play a critical role in creating a healthy environment for the prevention of childhood obesity and for combating problems, such as Type 2 diabetes, that are associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. To help combat childhood obesity and to improve children’s health, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (PL # 108-265) requires each school food authority that receives funding for the USDA Child Nutrition Programs to establish a local school wellness policy [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31].
The Reauthorization Act of 2004 places the responsibility of developing a school wellness policy at the local school level. Each school/ Residential Child Care Institution (RCCI) is responsible for developing, implementing, and measuring the success of a local wellness policy. This includes all schools and RCCI sponsored by the OKDHS School Nutrition Programs (SNP).
Section 204 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (the Act), Public Law 111-296, added Section 9A to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) (42 U.S.C. 1758b), Local School Wellness Policy Implementation, Section 204 of the Act strengthens wellness policies by emphasizing ongoing implementation and assessment. This provision also supports a robust process at the community level, including the expansion of the team of collaborators participating in the wellness policy development to include more members from the community. Additionally, The Act added the requirement that local wellness policies include goals for nutrition promotion.
Local Education Agencies (LEA) are required to permit teachers of physical education and school health professionals as well as parents, students, and representatives of the School Food Authority (SFA), the school board, school administrators, and the public to participate in the development of wellness policies. The Act also expanded the purpose of the team of collaborators beyond the development of a local wellness policy to also include the implementation of the local wellness policy with periodic review and updates.
Requirements
As required by federal regulations, a local wellness policy, at a minimum, shall include:
- Goals for nutrition promotion, nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the SFA determines is appropriate [as required by federal regulations 7 CFR Part 210.31 (C) (1)];
- Include Nutrition guidelines selected by the SFA for all foods available on each school campus under the SFA during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity [as required by federal regulations 7 CFR Part 210.31 (c) (2) and (3)];
- Permit parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, school administrators, and the public with the opportunity to participate in the development, implementation, and review and update of the local wellness policy [as required by federal regulations 7 CFR Part 210.31 (c) (5) and 7 CFR Part 210.31 (d) (1)].
- Inform and update the public (including parents, students, and others in the community) about the content and implementation of local wellness policies [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (d) (2)].
- Be measured periodically on the extent to:
- Which the site complies with the local wellness policy [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (e) (2) (i)].
- The extent to which the local wellness policy compares to the model local school wellness policy [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (e) (2) (ii)].
- The progress made in attaining the goals of the local wellness policy
- The progress made in attaining the goals of the local wellness policy and making this assessment available to the public [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (e) (2) (iii)].
Community Involvement
Community involvement also requires schools to inform and update the public (including parents, students, and others in the community) about the content and implementation of the local wellness policies [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (d) (2)]. School Food Authorities (SFA) are also required to measure periodically and make available to the public an assessment of the local wellness policy.
Parent and Child Involvement
In addition to the Local Wellness Plan, all SFAs must comply with the federal regulations [7 CFR Part 210.12 (e) and 7 CFR Part 210.31 (d)], which require SFAs to promote activities to involve student and parents. Such activities may include menu planning, enhancing the eating environment, nutritional education and other school related activities that promote nutrition. Food Service Management Companies and RCCIs are required to comply with this regulation to the extent possible. SFAs should document activities to demonstrate compliance.
Triennial Review
After developing and implementing a local wellness policy SFAs are required to review the policy at least once within a three-year period to determine the policy’s effectiveness and assess the site’s compliance with the policy [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (e) (2)]. When a local wellness policy is not carried out by staff members, or deemed unsuccessful, designated personnel should take steps to revise the policy and to ensure that effectiveness of the program. Starting July 1, 2017, each SFA is required to complete a triennial assessment report [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.31 (f) (2)] that describes the extent to which the SFA site(s) complies with the local wellness policy, and a description of progress towards attaining policy goals described in federal regulation [7 CFR Part 210.31 (c)(1)]. OKDHS School Nutrition Programs (SNP) has a triennial wellness assessment report form required to be used to document the assessment and update to the local wellness policy.
Best practice for each SFA should be to review their site(s) local wellness policy more frequently than the required triennial assessment. The following questions should be asked when conducting one of these reviews, as well as during the required triennial review of each of the SFAs site(s) Local Wellness Policy:
· Are the goals measurable?
· Is the program implemented according to policy?
· Does the school need to revise policy and procedures to
increase the effectiveness of the Local Wellness Policy?
During the required triennial review SFAs are required to compare each site’s local wellness policy with a model local school wellness policy [as required by federal regulation 7CFR Part 210.31 (e) (2) (ii)]. The Alliance for a Healthier generation, in conjunction with the USDA, developed a model school local wellness policy. Contact OKDHS School Nutrition Programs for an electronic copy of the model local school wellness policy.
The model local school wellness policy is an excellent resource to assist School Food Authorities (SFA) with developing effective local wellness policies. This resource provides the reader with information about the requirements for local wellness policies, as well as providing sample language. To request a copy of this model policy email OKDHS School Nutrition Programs (SNP) at AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org.
Local Wellness Policy Resources
Table 1.1 contains resources available upon request from OKDHS School Nutrition Programs. To request one of the items in table 3.1 email AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org.
Table 1.1: Local Wellness Policy Resources Available from OKDHS School Nutrition Programs |
· The OKDHS SNP Triennial Wellness Assessment Report form. Available upon request by emailing AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org. · The Model Local School Wellness Policy. Available upon request by emailing AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org. |
Table 1.2 Contains local wellness policy resources available online.
Table 1.2: Local Wellness Policy Resources Available Online |
USDA Local Wellness Policy webpage: |
