FNS Documents & Resources

A local school wellness policy is a written document of official policies that guide a local educational agency (LEA) or school district’s efforts to establish a school environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.

Use these materials to bring your school community together to create strong school environments that support students’ growth, learning, and well-being. 

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support schools unable to complete a triennial assessment of the local school wellness policies by June 30, 2020, due to school closures as a result of COVID–19. This waiver applies to state agencies that have local educational agencies administering the NSLP and/or SBP.

School meals are required to meet specific nutrition standards to operate the school meals programs. The standards align school meals with the latest nutrition science and the real world circumstances of America’s schools. 

Recently, we have received several questions about the use of funds from the nonprofit school food service account to cover expenditures related to farm to school activities and school gardens. The questions and answers below address specific scenarios that school food authorities may be dealing with when considering the allowability of such costs.

The  practices addressed in this document will help program operators enhance the safety of fruits and  vegetables grown in school gardens.
 

Recently, we have received several questions regarding the operation of a school garden. Attached are questions and answers to address this issue. As in the past, please share this information with your school food authorities.

In Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, each local educational agency participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 is required to establish a local wellness policy for schools under the LEA, not later than the first day of the school year beginning after June 30, 2006.