Local Wellness Policy

www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/wellnesspolicy.html

Congress recognizes that schools play a critical role in promoting student health, preventing childhood obesity, and combating problems associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. To formalize and encourage this role, Congress passed a law (P.L. 108 - 265). Each local educational agency participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq) shall establish a local school wellness policy by School Year 2006."

This legislation supports President George W. Bush's HealthierUS initiative. This Initiative helps Americans take steps to improve personal health and fitness and encourages all Americans, including children, to be physically active every day; eat a nutritious diet; get preventive screening; and make healthy choices.

The legislation also places the responsibility of developing a wellness policy at the local level, so that the individual needs of each district can be addressed. According to the requirements for the Local Wellness Policy, school districts must set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness. Additionally, districts are required to involve a broad group of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation.

These web pages serve as a clearinghouse of information on the Local Wellness Policy. Sample policies and reference materials are provided to help school districts as they develop their own wellness policies. These materials are intended for guidance and reference; however local policies are not limited to the examples listed here. Although these sample policies and materials have been provided to assist school districts in developing their own local wellness policies, USDA has not approved or endorsed any of them.

USDA is working with the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools of the Department of Education (ED) to review and compile these web-based resources. Recently joint letters signed and endorsed by the three federal agencies were sent to the chief state school officers and district superintendents explaining the requirements of local wellness policies.