MARYLAND NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING STUDENTS AGAINST FOOD ALLERGENS IN SCHOOL LUNCHES — The Maryland State Court of Appeals ruled the state government, the education department, and the state superintendent are not responsible for ensuring school lunches are suitable for children with food allergies. The ruling came from a case in which a five-year-old Maryland student, who suffers from a peanut allergy, was exposed to the allergen through a school-provided lunch in 2005. (The girl went into anaphylactic shock, but survived after being administered epinephrine and being rushed to the hospital.) While the state provides local districts with guidance and instruction on meeting the requirements of the National School Lunch Act, it is at districts’ discretion for exactly how to meet them. The court did not rule on the district’s responsibility in this case, because the district and the student’s family had already settled out of court. Source: Baltimore Sun (2/23/12)

STRATEGIES TO BATTLE CHILDHOOD OBESITY SOMETIMES LACK INJURY PREVENTION PLANS — According to a report from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials who institute plans to increase youths’ physical activity also need to develop and implement plans to prevent injuries. The report in the January issue of Health & Place notes injury is the leading cause of death among children, but that efforts aimed at increasing youth activity—including walking, cycling, swimming, etc.—often lack critical safety factors. The authors called for more research in how to prevent injuries and the implementation of these measures on a large scale. In addition, they recommend “A research agenda…that addresses relevant injury prevention issues related to increasing physical activity, changing the environment, modifications in city planning, changes in legislation, and the opinions and desires of community members.” Source: Science Daily (1/20/12), Health & Place (January 2012)

NFL, NCAA URGE STATES TO PASS STRINGENT CONCUSSION LAWS — The NFL and the NCAA sent letters to 19 governors urging the passage of youth concussion laws similar to that in Washington state. The sports associations want state laws to include at least the three main components of Washington’s Zackery Lystedt Law: 1) parents and guardians must receive concussion education before a student-athlete can play any school sport; 2) children or youth suspected of a concussion or head injury must be immediately removed from physical activities; and 3) a physician or authorized medical professional, depending on the state, must give a student written clearance before he or she can return to play. Approximately 35 states have enacted similar laws, and New Jersey is moving to include cheerleading coaches to the list of officials required to have concussion training. Source: EdWeek.org (1/18/12)

ARIZONA BILL WOULD GIVE DISTRICTS OPTION TO OPT-OUT OF NSLP — The Arizona Senate passed a bill that would give school districts the option of participating in the federally funded National School Lunch Program. The bill’s sponsor says the measure gives districts the option because new federal school lunch nutrition mandates are “too onerous.” The legislator also said that since standing state law only makes participation mandatory for K-8 schools, it is only fair to make participation optional for all schools. Last year, more than 661,000 Arizona students benefited from the program. The bill is now with the House Education Committee. Source: Arizona Republic (2/9/12), e-lobbyist.com, Phoenix-On News (1/19/12)

KENTUCKY PLAN FOR STUDENT HEALTH INCLUDES OPTIONAL BMI REPORTING — The Kentucky State Board of Education revised the state’s student health policy to include a place for body mass index (BMI) reporting on documents by personal physicians sent to schools. These forms become part of students’ cumulative health records and are not public documents. The data on BMI percentile will not be reported at the individual level, but instead will be reported in the aggregate at the request of public health officials to assist them in analyzing health data statewide. The regulation must proceed through the legislative committee review process before becoming final. Source: communication with Kentucky Department of Education (2/10/12)

FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE REQUIRES DISTRICTS TO BROADEN DEFINITION OF SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES — In an attempt to clarify school districts’ obligations under the revised Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 2009, the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to districts advising them of the expanded definition of and services for students with disabilities. The new guidance requires students who traditionally may not have been identified under Section 504 of IDEA and Title II under ADA to be reevaluated and tested under a broadened definition. For example, a student would qualify for a disability if “a major life activity is substantially limited” by the impairment such as a lung condition, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, and physical disabilities. The letter also requires districts to revise their qualifications to receive special education and the procedures determining the services a student with a disability would receive upon identification to comply with the revised ADA law. Further guidance is located in the letter and in the Office of Civil Rights FAQs. In addition, NASBE published a recent Policy Update titled, “The 2009 Amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act : What They Mean for States and Schools.”  Source: EdWeek.org (1/19/12)

SIMPLE INTERVENTION INCREASES STUDENT VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION — Placing pictures of vegetables on student lunch trays increased vegetable consumption by students, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers first observed a Minnesota elementary school of approximately 800 students in February 2011 to obtain baseline information about student consumption of carrots and green beans. Students helped themselves to pre-portioned servings and the kitchen staff served the rest of the meal. They tracked the number of students that took each type of vegetable, and after lunch staff collected and weighed all uneaten vegetables. Researchers returned in May 2011 when the same meal was being served in the cafeteria. This time staff placed pictures of carrots and green beans in the tray compartments, which increased the number of students serving themselves both types of vegetables.  There was an overall increase in consumption of both types of vegetables across all students, but only a significant increase in the amount of carrots eaten by the students who took them. Placing photos in the trays cost about $3, took 20 minutes to modify 100 trays, and required no specialized training.  Source: Journal of the American Medical Association (1/31/12), Huffington Post (2/1/12)

FRAC REPORTS IN-CLASS BREAKFAST AS MOST SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY — A new Food Research Action Center (FRAC) report on school breakfast programs finds that districts serving breakfast in the classroom have the highest participation rates. For example, the four top-performing districts serve breakfast in the classroom to all students at no charge and the top ten performers offer free breakfast to all students. The report, taken from surveys of school breakfast programs in 26 urban districts, also notes an increased momentum for implementing free school breakfast programs to all students in recent years, but the participation numbers still fall well behind those for school lunch. The report notes also highlights Detroit, Houston, and Newark as districts that serve breakfast to at least 70 percent of students who qualify for free- and reduced-price lunch. Source: FRAC press release (1/31/12)

MEDIA USE MAY NEGATIVELY IMPACT GIRLS — A sampling of preteen girls found extensive use of media can negatively impact their self-esteem and commitment to physical activity. A study in the December Journal of School Health examines the relationship between the psychological and physical assets among 1,027 3rd-5th grade girls and the use of media during after school hours. Researchers analyzed data from an evaluation of a positive youth development program. The study also showed that 27 percent of the girls surveyed were using media for four or more hours on school days. Researchers also reported that time spent using media was not linked to body size satisfaction in the surveyed age group. Source: Journal of School Health (December 2011)

USDA FARM-TO-SCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCES AVAILABLE  — USDA’s Farm-to-School website is a resource for state leaders trying to encourage the implementation of Farm to School programs in their states. It provides links to information about funding sources, state contacts, and guidance about procurement policies.

NEW CDC RESOURCE FOR ENGAGING PARENTS IN SCHOOL HEALTH — Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health is a new CDC resource that identifies strategies and actions schools can take to increase parent engagement in school health. The strategies are focused on connecting and engaging parents as well as sustaining their involvement.

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS — The archived recording of NASBE’s October 2011 webinar, “Safe Routes to School Programs: Legal Implications for Schools,” is now available online. The webinar was designed to help school attorneys and legal staff learn about best practices and potential concerns for active transportation to and from school; it included speakers from Leadership for Healthy Communities, the Georgia Department of Education, the Public Health Law Center, the National Policy and Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity (NPLAN), and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, in partnership with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, also created a fact sheet that outlines the benefits and financial savings to communities that implement Safe Routes to School programs. In addition to reductions in health care costs, the factsheet details how the programs impact traffic safety, reduce traffic congestion, help schools manage transportation costs, and create jobs and attract economic development.

NEW RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL LEADERS FROM NSBA — The National Schools Boards Association’s Family as Partners: Fostering Family Engagement for Healthy and Successful Students provides guidance, strategies, and resources for school leaders that want to engage families around school health issues. To supplement the publication, NSBA has created an online resource center that contains model policies and survey templates.

NSBA also released Safe at School and Ready to Learn: A Comprehensive Policy Guide for Protecting Students with Life-threatening Food Allergies, which helps school leaders develop policies and practices to protect students with life-threatening food allergies. The guide provides a checklist to assess current policies and their implementation, sample state and local policies and a glossary of terms related to food allergies.