§1758b Local School Wellness Policy

Summary

Local school districts that take part in federal school meal or child nutrition programs must create a local school wellness policy for every school they run. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must write rules to guide those policies. The rules must set goals for nutrition teaching, physical activity, and other wellness activities. They must also set nutrition standards for all foods available on campus during the school day that follow federal nutrition rules and help reduce childhood obesity. Districts must let parents, students, school food staff, PE teachers, school health professionals, school boards, administrators, and the public help make, review, and update the policy. Districts must tell the public what the policy says and how it is being carried out. They must regularly measure and publish how well the policy is being put into practice, how it compares with model policies, and the progress toward goals. Each district must name one or more officials to make sure schools follow the policy. USDA, working with the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services through the CDC, must give districts, school food authorities, and states information and technical help. This help must include training, model policies, best practices, and other resources tailored to local needs. Subject to available funding, USDA and the CDC must study and report on how strong and effective these local wellness policies are, and must send that report to Congress not later than January 1, 2014. There is authorization of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2011 to carry out the study, to remain available until spent.