|
| ||||||
Additional Accountability Requirements: None.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Alaska School Wellness Policy Toolkit (2006), developed by the state department of health and social services, is a comprehensive guidance document for the creation and implementation of local wellness policies.
Other: None.
Additional Accountability Requirements: School Nutrition Policy, revised in 2005, requires "each school conduct evaluations [of the school health environment] using a nationally recognized, validated survey to identify strengths and weaknesses and prioritize changes as an action plan for improving student health. The assessment and planning steps should involve teachers, child nutrition staff, other school staff as appropriate, parents, students, and the community as a part of the required wellness policy."
Additional Content Requirements: The School Nutrition Policy was again revised in 2007 to specifically target all snack foods and beverages not covered by USDA nutrition standards. The Policy sets minimal nutritional standards for such foods and additionally requires local wellness policies to address the following in greater detail: limiting and eventually eliminating the frying of foods; portion sizes; eliminating "for sale" or free foods and beverages that do not meet the state's Nutrition Policy Guidelines; eliminating foods of minimal nutritional value; and programs such as school gardens and farm to school.
Guidance Materials: None.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: Act 1220 of 2003 (codified as Codes 6-7-117 through 6-7-119) pre-dates Section 204 and is generally stronger than the federal requirements. In addition to policy content requirements described later in this document, Act 1220 includes the following accountability requirements for each school district: establish a Nutrition and Physical Activity Committee to advise the school board; administer CDC's School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide; measure, on an annual basis, each student's body-mass index (BMI) and send parents/guardians a Confidential Child Health Report that contains results and guidance; develop a district Wellness Priority Plan that includes goal statements, benchmarks, interventions, and planned actions based on data collected from the School Health Index and BMI assessments; and incorporate goals and objectives for nutrition and physical activity into the annual Consolidated School Improvement Plans submitted to the state.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education has a Step-by-Step Guide designed to walk schools through the process of creating a wellness policy. The state has also provided information and links to its Healthy School Environment Model Policy (2005).
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: Guidance for the Development of California School Wellness Policies (2005), developed in a collaborative effort between the Department of Education and other organizations, provides districts with suggestions and concrete recommendations for meeting Section 204 requirements. The document also provides references and links to pertinent state laws and regulations concerning school nutrition, physical activity, and other wellness-related topics that should be addressed in any local wellness policy in the state.
California's Project LEAN (Leaders Encouraging Activity and Nutrition) is a partnership between the Department of Health Services and the Public Health Institute whose mission is to increase healthy eating and physical activity in youth. The Project works with state and local physical activity and nutrition leaders to conduct programs in communities throughout California. Amongst many resources, the Project has created school wellness policy tools, including Policy in Action: A Guide to Implementing Your Local School Wellness Policy (2006) that was created in collaboration with the California School Boards Association.
Other: A White Paper on Health, Nutrition, and Physical Education produced by the Department of Education entitled, Healthy Children Ready to Learn (2005), highlights the need for local wellness policies and outlines steps the Department is taking to accelerate their adoption and implementation, including collaborative efforts, promoting a coordinated school health approach, and supporting state legislation supporting wellness policies.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education produced a policy guide entitled Local School Wellness Policy: A Step By Step Guide to Implementing P.L. 108-265, Section 204 and Colorado Senate Bill 05-081 (2005) that has an accompanying CD-ROM with resources on a variety of pertinent topics including nutrition, physical activity, sample policies from other organizations and states including NASBE's guidance on implementing and assessing wellness policies, and assessment tools including CDC's School Health Index.
The state Department of Education has also created a School Wellness Policy Implementation Assessment Tool, approved by the state Education Data Assessment Committee that measures the level of policy implementation. The results of the implementation assessments inform training and technical assistance for further aiding in the implementation of policies.
Other: Revised Statute 22-32-136 (2005) encourages district boards of education to adopt wellness policies. HB 1224 (2008) encourages school districts to expand their local wellness policies to adopt goals for emphasizing healthy choices and lifestyles, including physical education (PE), nutrition, and mental health counseling. It also expands the Comprehensive Health Education Act to include local student wellness programs, allowing funding for local student wellness programs only if the school district has adopted an expanded wellness policy, and allowing funding for wellness programs that include PE only if every PE teacher is licensed in that field. HB 1224 (2008) also encourages local school districts to establish a local school wellness program that includes or is otherwise coordinated with health education.
The state Department of Education also collects and reviews local wellness policies for compliance to the basic federal requirements as part of the district Child Nutrition program review and collects information on the level of policy implementation. Districts complete a self-reported School Wellness Policy Implementation Assessment Tool, approved by the state Education Data Assessment Committee that measures the level of policy implementation.
Additional Accountability requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education produced a comprehensive Action Guide for School Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies (2009). Adopted by the State Board of Education, the action guide includes lessons learned from the state's school nutrition policy pilot projects to help inform districts in implementing and developing their wellness policies. The document includes steps for creating a policy, resources for addressing the required components and implementation guidance. It also addresses communication and promotion of wellness, and measurement and evaluation of programs and policy.
The Department also created the School Wellness Policy: Getting it Started (2006) PowerPoint presentation that teaches about the components of a wellness policy and implementation. It then created the School Wellness Policy: Keeping it Going (2006) PowerPoint presentation that explains how to implement and maintain a wellness policy.
The Department developed the Action Guide for Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies (2010) to help local and community child care, early education and after school programs establish and implement policies and practices that encourage healthy lifestyles in children. The action guide includes best practices for promoting healthy eating and physical activity for children from infancy through school age, based on current science, public health research, and national recommendations and standards. Guidelines for a Coordinated Approach to School Health (2007) provides further guidance organized by the CDC eight component Coordinated School Health Model (an integrated and comprehensive system of delivering health-related services in the school community).
Other: The State Board of Education released a Position Statement on Nutrition and Physical Activity (updated in 2010) that urges schools to adopt policies that address Section 204 requirements. It also addresses the role of the community, family, and individual students in promoting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Department of Education conducted a review (2008) of the content of district school wellness policies using a school wellness policy assessment tool developed in partnership with the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at Yale University. The results are summarized in the School Wellness Policy Report (2008).
Section 601 of the Healthy Students Act of 2010 states that as required by federal law, each local educational agency is required to collaborate with parents, students, food service providers, and community organizations to develop, adopt, and update a comprehensive local wellness policy. Local wellness policies must be revised at least once every three years.
Section 602 of the Healthy Students Act of 2010 requires each public school and public charter to submit the following information to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education regarding the following information by January 15th of each year: whether the school is in compliance with its local wellness policy; and where a copy of the school’s local wellness policy can be found. This information shall also be posted online if the school has a website and make the form available to parents in its office. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education shall post the information on its website within 14 days of receipt.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None.
Guidance Materials: None
Other: Code 14-133 formed a statewide council (the Health Advisory Council) that will exist until 2011 to, amongst other duties, provide guidance to the state Department of Education and ensure that each school district has a health leadership team per Section 204 requirements.
Additional Accountability Requirements:Statute 18.1003.453 (2006) requires every school district to annually review its school wellness policy.
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education is required by Statute 18.1003.453 to provide on its website links to information regarding the nutritional content of foods and beverages and to healthful food choices in accordance with the dietary guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture and provide examples of wellness classes that offer nutrition education for teachers and school support staff and encourage school districts to offer classes that are taught by a licensed nutritional professional for the school nutrition department.
The Department of Education is also required by law to provide links to every school district's wellness policy and multiple examples of school wellness policies for school districts; however, the Department of Education has not produced its own model.
Other: Statute 18.1003.453 requires that LEAs submit a copy of their local wellness policy and also a copy of any revisions made thereafter.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: None
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements:None
Additional Accountability Requirements:The State Board of Education amended its Health, Wellness, and Safety Policy in 2006 to require the Department of Education to create a plan for measuring implementation of the wellness policy. Hawaii is unique in that the entire state constitutes a single school district.
Additional Content Requirements: The State Board of Education amended its Health, Wellness, and Safety Policy in 2006 to require the Department of Education to set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities and create nutrition guidelines for all foods that are available on each school campus during the school day.
Guidance Materials:The Department of Education's comprehensive Wellness Guidelines document was created with input from multiple public and private stakeholders. It includes minimum standards for nutrition, nutrition and health education, physical activity and professional development, plus "how-to" suggested methods for implementation of wellness programs.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Iowa Association of School Boards provides a model wellness policy and additional support materials. Iowa State University, working with the Iowa Department of Education, developed an online web tool that schools can use for self-assessment.
Other: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Other: None.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The State Board of Education and the Illinois Nutrition Education and Training Program provides districts with wellness policy resources, including a Local Wellness Policy Toolkit (2005) that includes an action plan checklist, a needs assessment and annual evaluation tool, a model policy developed under a USDA Team Nutrition grant, and other resources for developing local wellness policies. The State Board of Education also adopted a State Goal on Wellness Policy (2007).
Other: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.137 (2005) requires the State Board of Education, the Department of Health, and the Department of Human Services to convene an interagency working group to publish model wellness policies and programs. Further, a School Wellness Policy Taskforce must be created to identify barriers to implementing wellness policies, recommend how to reduce the barriers, recommend statewide nutrition standards, and evaluate the effectiveness of the wellness policies. Taskforce members and reports can be found at http://www.isbe.net/nutrition/htmls/wellness_policy.htm.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None.
Additional Accountability Requirements: Code 20-26-9 (also known as Act 111, 2006) requires each school board to establish a coordinated school health advisory council and adopt a local wellness policy that takes the advisory council's recommendations into consideration. The advisory council may review the corporation's [district's] wellness policies on an annual basis and suggest changes that comply with the requirements of Section 204. The advisory council must hold at least one hearing at which public testimony about the local wellness policy being developed is allowed.
Additional Content Requirements: Code 20-26-9 instituted nutritional standards for a la carte items and forbids vending machine access for elementary students.
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education's Division of School and Community Nutrition Programs has provided resources, including presentations, on creating, revising, and implementing local wellness policies. Actual district example policies from within and outside the state are also included within the presentations.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: The state requires LEAs to annually complete the online Wellness Policy Builder assessment tool to document their consideration of the state's School Wellness Policy Guidelines (2010) as required by Senate Bill 154.
The Department of Education's Child Nutrition and Wellness staff, through their annual formal review, has officially incorporated monitoring of wellness policy implementation into their protocols. The required written implementation plan of each
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The State Board of Education has adopted School Wellness Model Policy Guidelines (2010) per Senate Bill 154. The same law further requires local boards of education to take into consideration these Guidelines when creating their local wellness policy.
The Department of Education's Child Nutrition and Wellness division provides several resources, including: a Development Process for KSDE's Model School Wellness Policy Guidelines that specifies a timeline for creating and implementing wellness policies; an online Wellness Policy Builder that provides step-by-step guidance for creating and implementing a policy; templates for implementation plans for nutrition education, nutrition, and physical activity; and spreadsheets for calculating and evaluating calorie, fat, and sugar content of products in comparison to the Kansas School Wellness Policy Model Guidelines.
Other: None
Additional accountability requirements: Revised Statute 158.856 (2005) requires each school food service director to annually assess and prepare a written report for local school board members, council members, and parents that addresses compliance with federal meals program requirements, availability of contracted fast foods, access to foods and beverages sold through vending machines and school stores, a list of foods and beverage available to students with nutritional values for each item, and recommendations for improving the nutritional environment.
Local school boards must then discuss the findings of the report and seek public comment. Local boards of education must finally hold an advertised public forum to present a plan to improve school nutrition and physical activities in the school district. Each school district is then required to annually compile and submit a summary of findings and recommendations from a mandated assessment of school physical activity and nutrition environments to the State Board of Education.
Additional content requirements: Revised Statute 160.345 (2005) requires local wellness policies to be developed only for LEAs containing grades K-5. The policy must include moderate to vigorous physical activity each day and encourage healthy choices among students. The policy may permit physical activity to be considered part of the instructional day, not to exceed 30 minutes per day, or 150 minutes per week. LEAs must also adopt an assessment tool to determine each child's level of physical activity on an annual basis.
Guidance materials: The Department of Education provides assessment instruments for physical activity and nutrition tailored to elementary and middle and high school. There are also performance descriptors and indicators for school nutrition programs based on
The Department has also published guidance materials, including Alternatives to Using Food as Reward and a Guidance Memorandum on the State Boards of Education's Guidelines for Competitive Food and Beverage Sales and on state mandated assessment and reporting on the school nutrition and physical activity environment.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education, in collaboration with the Dairy Council, created a comprehensive Model School Wellness Policy (2006). The Policy includes appendices that cover additional optional topics such as food as a reward, parties at school, and fundraisers. The Department also advocates using the School Health Index as a resource in accompanying cover letter.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: HB4459 (2010) requires each School Wellness Advisory Council to review and evaluate the school district wellness policy every three yeas. Requirements for the review are outlined in the statute.
Additional Content Requirements: HB4459 (2010) allows the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to promulgate regulations and minimum standards to provide guidance for School Wellness Advisory Committees. Specific recommendations for the regulations are outlined in the statute.
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education funds and collaborates with the John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition to operate an online policy development resource center. The state also gathers local wellness policies through the John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition through a voluntary basis submission process.
Other: None.
Additional Accountability Requirements: HB1264 (2009) authorizes local school systems to develop and implement annual wellness policy implementation and monitoring plans. It also requires the Department of Education to develop a procedure to monitor and measure implementation of a local school system's wellness policy monitoring implementation plan, and provide technical assistance to support local systems in this effort. Requirements for local school systems' plans are outlined in the statute.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education provides guidance for wellness policy monitoring and implementation in Making Wellness Work: A Guide to Implementing and Monitoring Wellness Policies in Maryland (2009)
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The State Board of Education adapted its model local wellness policy (2005) directly from the Michigan State Board of Education's Policy (2005).
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Michigan State Board of Education Model Local Wellness Policy (2005) provides a comprehensive policy template for districts to meet Section 204 requirements that can be modified to address local governance issues. The model is aligned with the state's content standards and benchmarks
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education has published the following guidance documents for the development and implementation of local wellness policies. Local Wellness Policy Resources provides tools and worksheets that can be used and modified by School Food Authorities to develop, analyze, communicate and measure their local wellness policy. From Policy to Action, Steps to Implementing Your Local Wellness Policy (2007) is a a step-by-step resource guide to local wellness policy implementation and measurement of progress. Local Wellness Policy Implementation Overview provides an overview on wellness policy implementation using PowerPoint with notes that can be modified for use with committees and parent groups.
Other: The Department of Education's local school wellness policies are monitored as part of the School Nutrition Program administrative review by department compliance and assistance staff. The monitoring specifically focuses on policy approval by the school board, inclusion of each component of Section 204, description of a person responsible and an evaluation plan.
The Healthy Kids Bill (2010) requires schools to post the local school wellness policy on its website, when available.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: A Local Wellness Policy Presentation created by a Department of Education staff member includes resources, guidelines, requirements, etc to aid districts in developing local wellness policies. Also, the Missouri School Boards' Association has created numerous guidance documents, including a Model Wellness Policy, Model Wellness Procedure, and Model Implementation Evaluation Form.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education produced the Local School Wellness Policy Guide for Development (2005), which advocates a three-step approach to developing local school wellness policies that involve School Health Councils. The Guide's sample language meets federal requirements and offers additional recommended policy options for
Other: Code 41-79-31 (2010) require local school health councils to conduct a school health needs assessment that addresses and supports the implementation of the eight component coordinated school health model. The results of the assessment must be used in the development of long-range maintenance plans that include specific indoor air quality components for each school building. The plans must be included in the local school wellness policy. The code requires local school health councils to adopt and support the implementation of a local school wellness policy that includes minimizing children's exposure to dust, gases, fumes and other pollutants that can aggravate asthma in the school setting.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Office of Public Instruction provides links to established policies and models on its website.
Other: The State Board of Public Education adopted a position statement encouraging districts to adopt and implement local wellness policies.
Additional accountability requirements: State Nutrition Consultants review local wellness policies as part of the School Meal Initiative Review. During the on-site review the Consultants meet with the school personnel responsible for the local wellness policy to discuss and document progress towards achieving the goals/objectives of the wellness policy.
LEAs are required to annually complete a checklist to report how the district is meeting the objectives for nutrition education, physical education, guidelines for all foods served on campus, and other components of the wellness policy. This document is required before the
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Eat Smart, Move More initiative produced recommended standards for all foods in schools (2004) and recommended standards for physical activity in schools (2005). Using these standards as a starting document, the State of
The Concerned Citizens for the Wellness Policy is an organization with a database containing each local wellness policy within the state of North Carolina.
Other: The Healthy Active Children Policy Progress Report is a summative report presented to the State Board of Education each year per State Board of Education Policy GCS-S-000 (2005). It contains information regarding School Health Advisory Councils, minutes per week of physical activity and physical education, and trend data.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Public Instruction provides resources from its Moving Forward with School Wellness: Making Your District Policy Work for Healthy Children workshop. In conjunction with Team Nutrition, the Department has produced a Local Wellness Policy handout (2006) to inform others in the school about federal wellness requirements and to help aid districts in the basic requirements for local wellness policies.
The Department offers handouts on wellness implementation, covering the following topics: Alternatives to Food as a Reward -- Ideas for Alternatives to Using Food as a Reward; Healthy Fundraising--Ideas for Healthy Fundraising Alternatives; and Healthy Celebrations--Ideas for Healthy School Parties and Other Celebrations.
The state Department of Agriculture and
Other: The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction developed an evaluation document How Well Are We Doing With Wellness, which was distributed to all schools.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: None
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education has created a Local Wellness Policy Toolkit (2005) that includes school wellness policy and resources assessment form.
Other: None
Additional accountability requirements: N.J.S.A. 18A:33-15 to 18 (2007) requires new school districts participating in any of the federally funded Child Nutrition Programs to submit their local policies to the state Department of Agriculture for a compliance check with the state's NJ School Nutrition/Wellness Policy (2005), which contains policy content requirements that go beyond Section 204. Schools that have already adopted the policy must annually certify as to its implementation in the school district. Schools not participating in any of the federally funded Child Nutrition Programs are required to provide a signed certification that the nutrition standards within this policy are being followed.
Additional Content Requirements: Administrative Code N.J.A.C. 2:36-1.7 required districts to adopt a school nutrition policy by September 2006. By September 2007, districts had to comply with the NJ School Nutrition/Wellness Policy. Under this policy, foods defined by the USDA as having minimal nutritional value (FMNV), foods listing sugar in any form as the primary ingredient, and all forms of candy are banned from sale or free promotional distribution anywhere on school property during the school day. This policy further applies to the federally reimbursable After School Snack Program. Schools are also required to reduce the purchase of all products containing trans-fats.
Guidance materials: The state Department of Agriculture has produced a comprehensive Q&A document concerning all aspects of the required nutrition policy, including how it addresses federal Section 204 requirements. The Department also provides background concerning the adoption of the NJ School Nutrition/Wellness Policy and the rationale behind each component. A guidance and resource tool was developed to assist schools in implementation of the NJ Nutrition Policy, entitled “Wellness Rules in New Jersey Schools”.
The state Department of Agriculture has created a simple Wellness Policy Evaluation Tool for districts to use in assessing their success at meeting the goals of their wellness policy.
Additional accountability requirements: Rule 6.12.6 NMAC (2006) requires each school district and charter school to develop and implement a policy that addresses student and employee wellness through a coordinated school health approach and must submit the policy to the Public Education Department for Approval. The district policy shall include, but is not limited to, the 11 sections noted in this rule.
In addition, each school district and charter school is required to establish a district School Health Advisory Council that shall meet at least 2 times annually to make recommendations to the local school board in the development or revision, implementation and evaluation of their wellness policy.
Additional content requirements: Rule 6.12.6 NMAC requires each school district and charter school to develop and implement a policy that addresses student and school employee wellness through a coordinated school health approach". The law goes beyond federal minimum requirements to specifically include nutritional requirements for a la carte items and school sponsored fundraisers before, during, and after school hours, and requires that a planned, sequential K-12 health and physical education curriculum aligned with state benchmarks be included in the wellness policy.
Guidance materials: The state Public Education Department has created Wellness Policy Rule TA Documents for districts that include: a School Wellness Policy Guidance Document that includes templates for many different school health policies to meet state policy requirements for a comprehensive coordinated school health policy.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: The Statewide School Wellness Policy (2005) adopted by the State Board of Education requires school districts to report annually to the state on the implementation of their local wellness policies at the district and individual school level.
Additional Content Requirements: The State Board of Education implemented mandatory guidelines via a Statewide School Wellness Policy (2005) that local wellness policies are required to meet. Beyond federal Section 204 requirements, the policy sets nutritional standards for foods outside the National School Lunch Program concerning fat, sodium, sugars, and serving size limits; prohibits certain foods of minimal nutritional value during the school day; requires minimum eating times of at least 15 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch; requires there be at least 30 minutes for physical activity per day; and includes minimum data collection and reporting requirements.
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education has created a somewhat unique instrument for its LEAs, called the Comparison Worksheet. District Wellness Coordinators can enter their local wellness policy information on-line by filling out some simple boxes and checking the criteria their policy meets. The information is then submitted electronically and compared to the state guidelines and other policies across the state. This information is then reported back to the local Coordinator so they can make adjustments where needed
The Department issued a memo in July 2005 informing LEAs of their responsibilities in creating and implementing local wellness policies. A frequently asked questions document was subsequently produced in December 2005 concerning federal and state requirements. Additionally, a document giving the background and philosophy behind Section 204 and the Statewide School Wellness Policy has been created. The Department also provides a fat and sugar calculator for evaluating foods.
Other: The state Department of Education has created a Coordinator for Statewide School Wellness Policy position to specifically oversee and assist in the implementation of local wellness policies.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: A February 2005 memo to School Food Services Directors/Managers from the state Department of Education provides guidance and suggestions for creating local wellness policies, including links to resources, background information, rationales, and policy process guidance.
The Department also provides both a guidance document covering basic questions and steps to take in Evaluating Local Wellness Policies and a basic power point presentation explaining Section 204 requirements and the steps necessary to create and implement a wellness policy.
Other: A joint memo from the Commissioner of Education and Health requests that school administrators complete a survey of their
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: Healthier Schools: A Brighter Tomorrow which not only acts as a guide for the development of wellness policies but also points to examples of best practices in other states. It even provides a logic model for this document and the impact of wellness policies.
Other: House Bill 66 formed a state School Physical Fitness and Wellness Advisory Council in 2005. The council was comprised of members representing educational, business and governmental organizations that have demonstrated leadership in the area of health education and wellness. The charge of the council was to develop guidelines (Healthier Schools: A Brighter Tomorrow) for best practices regarding nutrition education, physical activity for students, school-based activities and school-business partnerships that promote student wellness. In addition, the council was asked to provide districts with strategies for evaluating their local implementation of wellness policies to determine whether goals and objectives are met.
Additional Accountability Requirements: Statute Title 70, Section 24-100b (2005) requires each school district to report to the state Department of Education on the district's wellness policy, goals, guidelines, and progress in implementing the policy and attaining the goals. Each district shall require each school under its jurisdiction to provide a report to the district by a deadline it determines for use in compiling the district report.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education has produced a School Wellness Policy Model (2006) that provides sample language for schools to use in developing their own local policy based on existing USDA guidance and
The Department has also produced Healthy School Nutrition Environment - Establishing a Local School Wellness Policy, which not only provides background information on federal and state requirements but also the necessary components and steps necessary to create and implement a policy. Links to pertinent resources are also provided. A Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value Fact Sheet (2005) and Healthy Snack Choices (2005) document have been produced by the Department as well.
Other: None.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education has provided LEAs with several documents for creating and implementing wellness policies, including a school wellness newsletter with tips, resources, and highlights of exemplary districts. A worksheet not only helps schools and districts decide on policy language and content but also helps them think through the reasoning behind those decisions in a logical manner. The Department further provides a work plan and timeline worksheet for mapping out deadlines and responsibilities for implementing the required steps of the local wellness policy.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are required to complete a. "Local Wellness Policy Checklist" and submit it to the state Department of Education with their Wellness Policy. This checklist covers a broad range of topics including school environment assessment, personnel involved in ensuring implementation of hte wellness policy, and compliance with state Nutrition Guidelines for Competitive Foods. the State Department of Education reviews each LEA's wellness policy and checklist for completeness and accountability.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The state Department of Education's sample policy language, “Examples of Policy Language for Local Wellness Policies” provides guidance to policymakers in selecting policy goals that suit their needs and assists them in meeting the federal requirements.,
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: Statute 16-2-9(a)(25) (2005), Statute 16-21-28 (2005) and Statute 16-7.1-2(h) (2005) require the school committee of each district to establish a district-wide coordinated school health and wellness subcommittee, chaired by a member of the full school committee, to implement policies and plans to meet Section 204 requirements. In addition, the law requires that all [district] strategic plans include strategies to decrease obesity and improve the health and wellness of students and employees through nutrition, physical activity, health education, and physical education.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: Rhode Islands' Coordinated School Health Program, THRIVE, has produced a comprehensive District Health & Wellness Subcommittee Toolkit to aid subcommittees in creating and implementing wellness policies as required by state and federal law.
The Board of Regents and Department of Health officially endorsed the Rhode Island Nutrition and Physical Activity Model Policy Language and Rhode Island Nutrition Guidelines for School Vending and a La Carte Foods in 2006, which was initially developed by the Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: Code 59-10-330 (2005) requires each school district to establish and maintain a Coordinated School Health Advisory Council (CSHAC). The CSHAC is required to assess, plan, implement, and monitor district and school health policies and programs, including the development of a district wellness policy. Also, districts must collaborate with the CSHAC to develop a school health improvement plan that addresses strategies for improving student nutrition, health, and physical activity. This plan must in turn be included in the five-year strategic improvement plan required of every district.
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Education Recommendations for Improving Student Nutrition and Physical Activity, Report of the SDE Task Force on Student Nutrition and Physical Activity provides recommendations for policy and information that address Section 204 requirements (though the report was created just prior to the passage of Section 204).
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Board of Education has produced a Model Wellness Policy (2012) based on science, research, and existing practices from exemplary states and local school districts around the country." The policy encourages school districts to establish and maintain a coordinated school health program that addresses all components of school health, including mental health services and school health services, which are not addressed in the model. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 (2007) requests all qualifying school districts in South Dakota to use Model Wellness Policy as a guideline.
Other: The state Department of Education collects a copy of each local agency's policy is gathered at time of their Program Review. The Department also conducted an electronic survey concerning the implementation of local wellness policies.
Additional Accountability Requirements: The Tennessee State Board of Education Physical Activity Policy 4.206 (2005) requires each school district’s School Health Advisory Council to annually administer CDC’s SHI: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide and report a summary to the state. In addition, the State Board also adopted a rule for Rules of the State Board of Education, Minimum Nutritional Standards for Individual Food Items Sold or Offered for Sale to Pupils in Grades Pre-Kindergarten through Eight (pre-K-8) 0520-1-6-.04 (2008).
Additional Content Requirements: The State Board of Education adopted a rule for Minimal Nutritional Standards for Items Sold or Offered for Sale during the School Day in Grades K-8 (2005) that includes specifications for allowable foods.
Guidance Materials: None
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None.
Additional Content Requirements: The state Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Division, has implemented mandatory guidelines via the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy (2004) that local wellness policies are required to meet (but are encouraged to surpass). Beyond federal Section 204 requirements, the policy sets nutritional standards for foods outside the National School Lunch Program concerning total fat, saturated fat, sugars, and serving size limits. It also prohibits certain foods of minimal nutritional value during the school day and promotes exercise and healthy eating habits.
Guidance Materials: None
Other: The Education Service Center Child Nutrition Program (
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Division also includes wellness policy implementation and evidence of an active committee and implementation plan in its Coordinated Review Effort (
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: None
Other: The Utah legislature passed a resolution urging schools, school districts, health care providers, community-based organizations, businesses, and families work with the Legislature to establish comprehensive wellness policies to help prevent and reduce the prevalence of overweight children and adolescents."
Additional Accountability Requirements: The Superintendent of Public Instruction issued a memo asking each school division [district] to report on the status of the local wellness policy as part of the required School Health Advisory Board Annual Report."
Additional Content Requirements: 22.1-253.13:1 (2008) requires local school boards to incorporate a goal of making 150 minutes per week of physical fitness available to all students. This may include physical education classes, extracurricular athletics, or other programs or physical activities deemed appropriate by the local school board.
Guidance Materials: The Governor's office has created an online Scorecard for the Governor's Nutrition and Physical Activity Award that encourages schools to compete with each other, locally, and statewide. It is promoted as a voluntary best practice standard and has been used by a majority of school divisions as benchmarks for measuring progress of local wellness policies.
Other: None
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: A collaborative between the Commissioner of Education and the state school boards association that created the Nutrition and Fitness Policy Guidelines (2004), a model school fitness and nutrition policy consistent with the 16 V.S.A. 216 (2004).
Other: 16 V.S.A. 216 created a state advisory on wellness that is to encourage wellness programs, which must include fitness and nutrition components. The Department of Education is required to provide technical assistance to districts in the form of professional development in wellness programs and curriculum. The law also requires the state commissioner of education to collaborate in creating a model fitness and nutrition policy, which includes components that address Section 204 requirements. A wellness grant program for districts was also created to establish a wellness community advisory council, inventory community programs and assets, gather data about the health status of children in the community, adopt a fitness and nutrition policy based on the model policy, begin to implement and coordinate wellness programs in the community based on the adopted policy, and seek funding for further implementation of the policy from other sources such as the department of health."
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: RCW 28A.210.360 (Senate Bill 5436, 2004) requires districts to adopt local wellness policies and mandated the creation of a model policy and recommendations consistent with and above the federal requirements by a broad-based advisory committee.
The Department of Education provides a multitude of resources covering all topics pertinent to school nutrition and physical activity from various organizations and other states, including a resources section devoted to the implementation of wellness policies. The Department also maintains a collection of local wellness policies from districts within the state.
Other: The state created a checklist to assure that each school district has addressed each major provision Section 204. The checklist must be returned to Child Nutrition Services along with a copy of the local wellness policy and the name of person responsible for overseeing implementation and evaluation of the policy.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: The Department of Public Instruction published School Wellness Policy:Broadening the Policy" (2005) that puts pertinent state statutes and policies into context within Section 204 requirements and promotes a coordinated school health plan approach to wellness based on CDC guidance documents.
The Department of Public Instruction also provides Wellness Policy Resources from various other state organizations, including state's Team Nutrition and Action for Healthy Kids teams, and national organizations, including the CDC and USDA.
Other: None.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: State Board of Education Policy 4321.1 (2008) and Statute 126-86-12 (2008) outline requirements of local wellness policies that county boards of education are required to follow. These exceed the federal requirements. Wellness policies must address nutrition education, physical activity, nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available on school campus, and other school-based activities to promote student wellness. The policy must include an evaluation plan for measuring implementation, a timeline for implementation, assessment and evaluation. A county-wide assessment must be conducted biannually. The policy must govern all schools in the county and be submitted to the Office of Child Nutrition biannually. Failure to submit the policy may result in a non-compliance violation and suspension of federal meal reimbursements pending compliance.
The State Board of Education's Position Statement on Student Wellness (2006) outlines recommendations for how county school boards should develop wellness policies, including the need to take into account the state's preexisting minimum standards for child and school nutrition programs (Policies 4320 and 4321.1); minimum standards for the content and duration of physical education (Policies 2510 and 2520.6); and minimum standards for Health Education, nutrition education, and student assessment of health knowledge (Policy 2520.5).
Guidance Materials: The State Board of Education adopted a position statement supporting local wellness policy adoption that refers to pre-established rule and regulations regarding school health and wellness.
Other: The State Board of Education adopted a position statement supporting local wellness policy adoption that lists pre-established rule and regulations regarding school health and wellness.
Additional Accountability Requirements: None
Additional Content Requirements: None
Guidance Materials: None
Other: None
