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Local Wellness Policies and Resources

National School Lunch Program Local Wellness Policies

The Local School Wellness Policy was signed into law by President Bush on June 30, 2004, and became effective on July 1, 2004. This law states that all school districts and residential child care institutions that participate in the National School Lunch Program must develop a Wellness Policy. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) added additional requirements for all local educational agencies participating in federal Child Nutrition programs to establish and implement, for all schools under its jurisdiction, local school wellness policies that meet minimum standards designed to promote sound nutrition, student health, reduce childhood obesity, and provide transparency to the public on the school nutrition environment.

What is a Wellness Policy?

The goal of a Local School Wellness Policy is to promote the health of students and address the ever growing childhood obesity problem. Wellness Policies should set goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and guidelines for food and beverages that are available on school campuses during the school day. These policies should promote student wellness and involve a broad group of community members—parents, students, school administrators, teachers, school food authorities, and the general public.

Implementation

Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Each local educational agency that participates in the National School Lunch Program or other federal Child Nutrition programs is required by federal law to establish a local school wellness policy for all schools and residential child care institutions under its jurisdiction. All school districts and residential child care institutions should have Local School Wellness Policies on file and evaluate the implementation of these policies.

Wellness Policy Resources