Local Wellness Policies (LWP)

Background

Schools play a critical role in promoting student health, preventing childhood hunger and obesity, and combating issues associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. In 2004, Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (Sec. 204 of Public Law 108-265) requiring all local education agencies (LEAs) participating in school nutrition programs to create local wellness policies. In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (Sec. 204 of Public Law 111-296) adding new provisions for local wellness policies. LEAs must comply with the Local Wellness Policy Final Rule by June 30, 2017. Wellness policy requirements are also included in the NC State Board of Education (SBE) Healthy Active Children Policy.

Requirements

Local education agencies must:

• Establish a local wellness policy that includes nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available on campus during the school day along with goals for nutrition education, nutrition promotion, physical activity and other activities to promote student health.
• Designate an LEA official with oversight of all aspects of the Healthy Active Children Policy and Local Wellness Policy.
• Submit annual Healthy Active Children Policy reports to the NCSBE which includes local wellness policy information.
• Provide a copy of the current local wellness policy, documentation of how the policy and assessments are made available to the public, the most recent assessment of the LWP, and how the policy is reviewed and updated and who was involved to NCDPI, School Nutrition Services during Administrative Reviews of school nutrition programs.

Links to additional information and resources

Have Questions?  Need more information?  For questions regarding the Local Wellness Policy requirements, please contact the School Nutrition Specialists/Consultants for your School Nutrition Zone.