The National School Lunch Program provides nutritious and inexpensive lunches, but low participation and food waste are challenges in many schools. Interventions aim to improve participation in the program, but little is known about how students' perceptions affect their participation. This study explored how middle school students in a rural…

Purpose/Objectives: This study explores what school catering staff (nutrition program personnel) in the United Kingdom (UK) perceive to influence adolescents' food choices during the school day with observational research at school dining centers. Methods: Three middle schools in Wales, United Kingdom took part in the triangulated qualitative…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Good Food for Oxford Schools (GFOS) program by assessing perceptions of Child Nutrition Program (CNP) staff. This evaluation was completed to provide insights to support continued quality improvement of the program, and to explore the potential impact of the program on the students and teachers in the…

Background: School nutrition reform continues to be of interest to many due to the potential for widespread benefits for students who eat at school. however, disparities still exist in implementing the mandates resulting from the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate middle school stakeholders'…

Background: School nutrition reform continues to be of interest to many due to the potential for widespread benefits for students who eat at school. however, disparities still exist in implementing the mandates resulting from the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate middle school stakeholders'…

Purpose/Objectives: School lunch meals often provide students with the majority of daily calories and prime opportunities to develop healthful eating habits. Plant-based entrées may increase variety of foods served and appeal to students, but may not appear frequently on school menus. A Washington, D.C.-based school partnered with local…

Cairns and cares: they sound nearly alike, and at Tommie Kunst Junior High School (Santa Maria, CA), the two words are synonymous. Kim Cairns is a "Pitsco Education" Life Skills lab facilitator who cares deeply about her students--what they do, what they say, how they act, what they learn, and everything in between. Cairns has taken…

Background: Schools of low socioeconomic status (SES) tend to sell fewer healthy competitive foods/beverages. This study examined whether state competitive food laws may reduce such disparities. Methods: School administrators for fifth- and eighth grade reported foods and beverages sold in school. Index measures of the food/beverage environments…

Background: This study attempted to determine whether state laws regulating low nutrient, high energy-dense foods and beverages sold outside of the reimbursable school meals program (referred to as "competitive foods") are associated with children's weight status. Methods: We use the Classification of Laws Associated with School…

Purpose/Objectives: In 2010, a large urban school district implemented a district-wide school wellness policy that addressed childhood obesity by requiring schools to increase health and physical education contact hours for students and to improve the nutritional standards of school meals. Schools were required to serve a different fruit and…

This report describes statistical indicators developed by the Council of the Great City Schools and its member districts to measure big-city school performance on a range of operational functions in business, finance, human resources and technology. The report also presents data city-by-city on those indicators. This is the second time that…