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Local Wellness Policy (LWP)

Overview

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Local Wellness Policies (LWP) are an important tool for promoting healthier school environments that promote positive behaviors and help students reach their full academic potential. School Food Authorities (SFAs) that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or other specific federal child nutrition program are required to establish a local school wellness policy.
 

Final Rule: Local School Wellness Policy Implementation Under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

Requirements

As of June 30, 2017, SFAs must fully comply with the requirements of the final rule.

As of June 30, 2020, SFAs must complete their first triennial assessment. The assessment must be completed, at minimum, once every three years. It requires SFAs to describe how the language in the SFA’s LWP compares to the model LWP, measure the SFA’s compliance with its LWP, and describe the SFA’s progress toward meeting its LWP goals.

  • Local Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Report Card - ​​​​​​SFAs must use the Wisconsin Local Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Report Card in order to fulfill the triennial assessment requirement. The first page includes instructions for completing the Local Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment Report Card which can be found on page two. The Triennial Assessment Report Card does not need to be submitted to the DPI School Nutrition Team. The Triennial Assessment Report Card should be kept on file for your next DPI Administrative Review. In addition, the results of the triennial assessment should be made available to the public.

Wisconsin Resources
  • Wisconsin Wellness: Putting Policy into Practice is a resource designed to assist school districts with developing comprehensive policies that incorporate new policy requirements while establishing a framework for accountability. The resource provides information on required policy components and includes best practices that will assist schools with creating and maintaining a strong wellness policy.
  • Wisconsin Wellness: Moving into Action is a resource containing a collection of best practices implemented by Wisconsin schools.
  • Local Wellness Policy Builder is an online tool designed to assist schools/districts in creating comprehensive school wellness policies that meet the final rule established by the USDA in August 2016.
Additional Resources
  • USDA Team Nutrition has developed numerous resources to assist with the development, implementation, and monitoring of school wellness policies. The Local Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit has ready-to-go communication tools to engage school staff and parents in school wellness.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resources to assist schools with creating supportive school nutrition and physical activity environments. The School Health Index is an online self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their health and safety policies and programs.
  • Alliance for a Healthier Generation organizes their resources into wellness modules to create a workable framework that sets specific actions to help schools create healthy school environments. The Healthy Schools Program Framework of Criteria identifies specific best practices to create healthier school environments. Schools can use their six step process to assess, evaluate, and take action on local wellness policies. The Alliance has developed a Model School Wellness Policy. The policy was thoroughly reviewed by USDA Food and Nutrition Service and is compliant with school wellness policy requirements.
  • Action for Healthy Kids fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives by engaging diverse organizations, leaders and volunteers.
  • Wisconsin School Health Atlas contains reports, stories, and best practices regarding state-wide school wellness polices.
 

Contact

Kelly Williams, RDN, CD
Nutrition Education Consultant
(608) 267-9120
kelly.williams@dpi.wi.gov
Karen Jardaneh, RDN, CD, SNS
Nutrition Program Consultant
(608) 267-9128
karen.jardaneh@dpi.wi.gov