The federal government requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to have a wellness policy. As part of the Healthy Hungry Free Kids Act of 2010, LEAs were required to update and expand their wellness policies by June 30, 2017 to include new provisions in implementation, assessment, and public reporting. To date, many Maryland school systems have been recognized as national leaders in wellness policy development, implementation, and assessment.
Wellness Policy Resources
United States Department of Agriculture Summary of the Final Wellness Policy Rule
New requirements for school wellness policies were effective June 30, 2017. Read more about the final wellness policy rule requirements
here.
Maryland School Wellness Scorecard
This scorecard is a school-level tool designed to assess and prioritize practices that promote nutrition and physical activity in schools.
Version 1: Low resolution, interactive PDF.
Version 2: High resolution, 8.5 x 11”
Version 3: High resolution, 11 x 17”
Maryland Wellness Policies and Practices Project Reports
These reports provide information on the implementation of school wellness policies and practices in Maryland.
Click the following link to learn more about project and reports.
Smart Snacks
- Since July 2014, the federal government requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP) to adopt Smart Snacks standards for all foods and beverages sold to students on the school campus during the school day. Compliance with these rules is embedded in every school systems’ Wellness Policy.
- In addition to adopting the USDA Smart Snacks standard, Maryland schools have continued to uphold two beverage standards, which do not allow caffeinated beverages or diet sodas to be offered to students throughout the school day. Some school districts have embraced more stringent rules than those of the USDA and Maryland Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools.
- The following tools may be used to assess products’ compliance with USDA Smart Snack Standards.
Wellness Policy Videos
These videos were designed to support Maryland’s Residential Child Care Institutions and Non-Profit Private Schools in wellness policy development, implementation, and assessment.
Video 1: Getting Started on Implementing the 2017 Wellness Policy Final Rule
Overview: Building a robust team of stakeholders is a critical step in the wellness policy process. This video identifies strategies for gaining participation and leadership in each step of wellness policy development, implementation and review.
Video 2: Writing your Wellness Policy
Overview: Time to write your wellness policy. Ensure your policy includes all required components and can easily be measured. Find out more details about how to integrate new requirements while creating a policy that works for your school community.