Aware of the need to serve more nutritious foods, a number of local school boards have built model programs that ensure students have access to healthy choices, an NSBA official testified at a House committee hearing on child nutrition.
The House Committee on Education and Labor discussed upcoming legislation to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act on March 2. The law impacts all food sold in schools as well as the federal school lunch and breakfast programs, after-school and summer school food programs, and other programs that provide nutrition to children and families. (Read NSBA’s Issue Brief here).
Lucy Gettman, NSBA’s director of federal programs, told the House panel that local school board members and administrators best understand and meet their individual district’s needs, with the federal government playing an important supportive role.
According to Gettman, NSBA’s school health department highlights nutrition programs in local schools that feature good practices such as increased offerings of local fruits and vegetables, partnerships with parents, and the creation of schoolwide wellness committees. Many schools now offer students a healthy breakfast as well as lunch.
“The commitment to increasing student access to healthy and nutritious food is not unique,” said Gettman. “What is unique; however, are the circumstances of each school district. What is successful at one won’t necessarily work at another district. The geography, economy, demographics, and resources available in the community vary for each district.”
The hearing comes as school officials and parents are demanding better quality, nutritious food for students and First Lady Michelle Obama is promoting childhood nutrition and anti-obesity causes through the “Let’s Move” initiative. NSBA supports the campaign’s mission to use partnerships to help children make better food choices and stay active, instilling habits that will last through their lives.
The hearing is a first step toward reauthorization of the federal child nutrition law, which expires Sept. 30. School breakfast and lunch programs are permanently authorized.
NSBA’s recommendations include:
- Recognize local school district authority and the variance among local circumstances in laws or policy addressing childhood nutrition;
- Refrain from imposing additional regulations or mandates on schools outside of the federally subsidized school lunch and breakfast programs and adequately reimburse school districts for the cost of those services;
- Give incentives and grants to support school districts, communities and states that are assuming greater responsibility for health and nutrition;
- Ensure that adequate resources are available for school nutrition programs, including meals and administration, equipment and facility improvements, training for staff, educators and other stakeholders, nutrition education and support for other local initiatives.
Joetta Sack-Min, Online Editor
