Sacramento >> Starting July 1, school nutrition programs participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs will have to meet higher professional standards to ensure their employees have the knowledge and skills to administer federal school nutrition programs. These federal nutrition programs are designed to ensure low-income children receive quality, nutritious meals they need to grow and support their learning.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new professional standards establish minimum hiring requirements for school nutrition directors, provide flexibility in the hiring requirements based on student enrollment, and require continuing education and training for all nutrition personnel.
The California Department of Education (CDE) was among 14 state educational agencies that submitted comments to the USDA about the new standards because of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson’s “A Blueprint for Great Schools” initiative. “The Blueprint” addresses the importance of meeting the needs of the “whole child,” including their social and emotional needs. California is a diverse state where more than 59 percent of its students are low-income.
To fulfill these new professional standards, the CDE offers more than 18 hours per year of continuing education and training for school nutrition personnel. The new standards are part of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
