REPORT Status and Goals of Local School Wellness Policies in Virginia: A Response to the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 Elena Serrano, PhD 1,3 ; Agata Kowaleska, BS 1 ; Kathy Hosig, PhD, RD, MPH 1 ; Caroline Fuller 2 ; Lynne Fellin 2,3 ; Vanessa Wigand 2,3 ABSTRACT By fall 2006 each school division participating in the National School Lunch Program was mandated to establish a local wellness policy. The study objective was to assess schools’ plans for the policy, including goals for food, nutrition education, and physical activity and evaluation. Surveys were administered to 132 School Health Advisory Board coordinators in Virginia in early 2006; 92 (69.7%) responded. The findings highlight gaps toward meeting minimum requirements for the policy and give guidance on how nutrition educators and researchers can provide expertise to optimize the policy and document progress and impacts on children’s health related to the policy. Key Words: school, policy, foods, physical activity, wellness ( J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39:95-100) INTRODUCTION According to the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthoriza- tion Act of 2004, each school division that participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) shall establish a local (school) wellness policy (LWP) no later than the first day of the school year beginning after June 30, 2006, to cover all NSLP schools in the school division. 1 The LWP must include 5 components: (1) goals for nutrition educa- tion, physical activity, and other school-based activities to promote student wellness; (2) nutrition guidelines for all foods available on each school campus; (3) assurance that reimbursable school meals are not less restrictive than ex- isting guidelines; (4) a plan for measuring implementation; and (5) involvement of school nutrition representatives, parents, students, administrators, and community members. Currently, there is little information and formal insight on how school divisions intend to address this legislation. There is also a lack of specific information on decision makers, areas of focus, and assessment of milestones. It is important to have a grasp of which goals and policies schools plan to initiate in order for communities and for state education and health agencies to provide technical assistance from development to implementation and eval- uation, particularly given the potential impact of school health policies on diet, the availability of foods and bever- ages, and even academic achievement. 2-4 This survey, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the first and only source of information being gathered to learn about steps and procedures taken by school divisions on a statewide level in preparation for the LWP. The findings will help nutrition educators to understand potential changes that will take place in schools. In addition, the findings will enable nutrition educators to position them- selves as resources and technical advisors to help optimize wellness policies for every division and possibly to help generate funds and resources to assist school divisions in implementing and realizing their goals. The findings also present implications for nutrition researchers to examine the impact of LWP on school wellness and children’s over- all health on the local, state, and national levels. DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSESSMENT Participants In 1990, the General Assembly of Virginia amended the Code of Virginia in order to establish and mandate local School Health Advisory Boards (SHABs) to “assist with the development of health policies in the (respective) school division.” 5 SHAB members are typically appointed by the local school board and should represent a broad- based segment of the community. Given this formalized infrastructure in Virginia, a superintendent’s memo in the 1 Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Insti- tute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 2 Virginia Department of Education, Richmond, Virginia 3 Virginia Action for Healthy Kids, Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia Address for correspondence: Elena Serrano, PhD, Extension Specialist, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, 201 Wallace Annex, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0430; Tel: (540) 231-3464 Fax: (540) 231-3916; E-mail: serrano@vt.edu ©2007 SOCIETY FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2006.10.011