School meals: Some rules loosened, others may tighten
Fewer limits on portions and other requirements—but new nutrition directors may need bachelor's
Published: March 1, 2014
New regulations for the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act remove daily and weekly limits on grains, meats and meat alternatives for lunches served through the National School Lunch Program. Under the regulations, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last December and taking effect this month, meals now have fewer benchmarks to meet and can include a larger proportion of meat and grains than previously allowed.
The original limits were controversial, with some students complaining of getting hungry before the end of the school day. Nutrition program personnel also said that providing the required nutritional content within the calorie limits was challenging and costly. USDA responded by offering temporary flexibility on the caps for 2012-13 and 2013-14, and the new regulations remove the limits entirely. Nutrition programs must still comply with the 2010 law’s caloric requirements and other dietary restrictions and regulations.
In addition, new federal standards for all foods sold at school at any time during the school day (the “Smart Snacks” rule) must be implemented by July 1. Previously, the USDA only had authority to regulate foods sold during mealtimes. CSBA’s sample Administrative Regulation 3554: Other Food Sales was revised last December to reflect these requirements.
To ensure compliance, the USDA has established a new compliance monitoring review system to ensure all foods sold at school meet federal guidelines. For example, local educational agencies must now maintain records such as receipts, nutrition labels and product specifications to document compliance with federal standards for foods sold throughout the school day. The California Department of Education’s Nutrition Services Division has issued guidance about the process on its website: cde.ca.gov.
New nutrition directors may need bachelor's degrees
In a related issue, proposed rules recently published by the USDA require all school nutrition program directors hired on or after July 1, 2015, to meet minimum educational requirements—namely, a bachelor’s degree for all LEAs with more than 2,500 students. Smaller school districts may employ directors with less education, offset by more years of experience. The reason, the department said, is because the level of responsibility increases with the size of the LEA and the complexity of its food service operation, necessitating better-educated personnel.
“While the intent of this proposed regulation is to set a minimum level of expertise in key school nutrition program positions, we recognize that expectations must be reasonable and achievable, particularly in rural or small LEAs,” the department said in the Feb. 4 Federal Register. The public comment period closes April 7. See the proposed rules at www.federalregister.gov.
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