West Virginia
School Nutrition Standards
Development and Implementation
Presented by
Mary Kay Harrison, M.S.
to the
Institute of Medicine
Committee on Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools
February 13, 2006
A *pilgrimage to statewide
nutrition integrity
in schools
1973-2005
*A quest to a distant sacred goal
West Virginia
School Landscape






Schools: 753
Districts: 55 counties
Students: 281,215
Needy rate: 52 %*
Community: 65% rural (53 counties)
Statewide information tech system
*WVDE Oct 2005 School Nutrition Program Report
Nutrition Landscape

National School Lunch Program
– All public schools
– 68% average student participation*

School Breakfast Program
– All public schools
– 31 % average student participation*




District managed
State funding support 34% program costs
Closed campuses
Statewide standards
*WVDE Oct 2005 School Nutrition Program Report
West Virginia‘s Approach to
Nutrition Standards in Schools
 History
Rationale
 Strategies
 Unanswered Questions
 Lessons Learned

Science and Beliefs
Shape Standards
70’s -- Preventing nutritional deficiencies and
dental caries
 80’s -Ensuring optimal growth and development
 90’s -Preventing chronic disease in adulthood
 Today -- Addressing excess, imbalance and obesity
 Tomorrow -- ?? (Meeting individual needs)

First Standards
1973 State Board of Education Policy

prohibited sale of food other than “Type A” lunch in the cafeteria
during mealtime, and allows only foods planned as part of the
breakfast menu to be sold at breakfast

called for districts to establish local policies for other foods* sold
in school during the school day

surveyed all public and private schools to determine frequency and
types of other foods*

established state advisory council to study survey results and
present recommendations
*foods sold or served by the school at any time during the school day
which are not part of a reimbursable meal
Standards for Other Foods

1975 State Board of Education accepted Council
recommendations and mandated during the school
day -– No candy, soft drinks, chewing gum or flavored ice bars
– No foods containing more than 39% sugar
– All juice beverages contain a minimum 20% juice
1976 Standards Refined & Reaffirmed






1976 Expert panel convened to define banned foods
WVDE issued guidance on verifying compliance
Soft drink representatives called for repeal
State Nutrition Advisory Committee recommended no
change
State Board of Education reaffirmed standards
Statewide training and education began
1977 Standard implemented
“with little effect on student morale”
Standards in a Larger Context
Comprehensive
(Coordinated)
School Health

1991 Governor convened blue ribbon task force of business
and community leaders to study and recommend school
policies to improve the health of West Virginians

Process led by state public education and health officials
using U.S. Centers for Disease Control model
Coordinated School Health Model
Health Education
Family & Community
Staff Wellness
Counseling
Health Services
Physical Education
Nutrition Services
School Environment
Task Force Results

Limited examination
– Only nutrition “services”, i.e., meals
– Little knowledge of children and school environment
– Lack of scientific evidence and measures

Limited conclusions
– Nutrition programs hold promise for reducing chronic
disease rates
– School meals do not live up to promise

Heightened awareness and perceived need
– State Board of Education calls for committee to study and
recommend nutrition policy
1992 Nutrition Standards Committee

30 members representing
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Teachers
Students & Parents
Administrators
State Education Agency
School Boards
Food Service Directors & Managers
Dietitians
Physicians & Dentists
School Nurses
Food Industry
Higher Education
A Vision
# 1 The total school environment fosters healthful choices
# 2 Nutrition programs are an important integral part of the
broader school curriculum
# 3 All foods sold and served during the school day enhance
learning and students’ quality of life
# 4 All students have opportunities to choose meals that reflect
the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Committee Recommendations







Lunch standards based on DGA and RDAs
Additional foods for pregnant students
Job qualifications for district directors
Comprehensive local nutrition plans
State Nutrition Advisory Council
Assessment of effectiveness
Standards for other foods
– No soft drinks, candy, chewing gum, flavored ice bars
– No foods containing more than 39 % sugar
– No fruit beverage containing less than 20% real juice
– No foods containing more than 8 gm fat per oz serving
– Transfer of purchasing authority for continued
noncompliance
State Legislature’s Involvement

State Code 18-2-6a permits soft drink
sales in high schools
– during instructional day except at meal periods
– with approval of local boards of education
– designates use of profits

Complicated compliance monitoring
2004 Informal Survey of Local Directors
Since passage of Policy 4321.1, do you believe schools in your
district are:
1. Serving meals to a higher percentage of students?
2. Offering more variety and menu choices?
3. Serving more fresh fruits and vegetables?
4. Serving more grains, including whole grains?
5. Offering more low-fat items?
6. Offering more nutritious snack foods and beverages?
2004 Revisions to Practice & Policy

WVDE directive on soft drinks
– Requires competitive bidding and district level contract
approval
– Recommends advertising and marketing restrictions, serving
size limits

Revised WVBE policy
– Mandates that equally accessible healthy beverage (water &
juice) be sold as alternatives to soft drinks in high schools
where soft drinks are sold
– Prohibits food sales before and during lunch in elementary
schools
– Recommends nutritious food choices be made available
wherever & whenever food is sold or offered on school
premises
– Defines “nutritious foods”
Healthy Lifestyles Legislation
A statewide response to obesity crisis
HB 2816





Enacted April 2005
State Healthy Lifestyles
Office for cross-agency
effort
Advisory bodies
Physical education &
activity requirements in
schools
Measures of school
progress (body mass index)
Voluntary private sector
food labeling program

Healthy beverages in
high schools selling
soft drinks
– 50% offered
– “healthy beverage”
defined
Contributing to Success
State Board of Education Leadership & Initiative





Founded on research
–
–
Scientific evidence
Expert panels
–
–
–
–
Stakeholder advisors
Open forum
Pilots
Phase-in
Rooted in reality
Integrated with education
Accountability measures
Strengthened through training
– Staff
– Students
- Parents
- Business & Community
Nagging Questions








Should standards be developed “top down” or “bottom up”?
What waves of new scientific evidence should we ride?
Is a patchwork of policies and rules effective?
Does the need for new standards outweigh the risks
engendered in the development process?
Who should mind the store?
How do you know and deal with unintended consequences?
Are relationships stressed or strengthened?
Will the stick or the carrot work best?
Accountability
Sending the message -- “This Is Important!”

Compliance monitoring
–
–
–
–

School district child nutrition & fiscal monitoring
State system for school accreditation
State/federal Child Nutrition Program system
State & district response to complaints
Enforcement
– School
– District
– State


Accountable parties
Sanctions
– Fiscal
– Other
Lessons Learned
Statewide Standards




should be imbedded in comprehensive health/nutrition
policies
must relate to broader education values and goals
recognize schools’ capacity to meet standards
must hold school decision-makers accountable
Process



requires ongoing training and technical assistance
demands unwavering conviction and resolve
never easy…never over