Healthy Foods and Beverages in Schools

1. Healthy Foods and Beverages in Schools Public Act 06-63

2. Public Act 06-63An Act Concerning Healthy Food And Beverage in Schools • Signed into law May 19, 2006 • Effective July 1, 2006

3. Rationale Well Planned and effectively implemented school nutrition and fitness programs enhance students’ • Overall health • Behavior • Academic achievement

4. Three Sections • Section 1 – Beverage law, non-negotiable • Section 2 - Nutrition Standards • Section 3 – Healthy Foods Certification, optional

5. Public Act 06-63 Applies only to STUDENT SALES • Food and Beverage sold to teachers and school staff are NOT subject to Public Act 06-63, as long as they are not accessible to students, e.g., • Soda or snack vending machines in teachers lounges • Special adult meals or a la carte items that are not sold to students

6. Public Act 06-63 Section 1 Allows only5beverage categories • Milk, flavored and unflavored • Nondairy milk, e.g., rice or soy • 100% fruit or vegetable juice • Water and/with juice beverages • Water, plain or flavored

7. Beverage Stipulations • Each category of beverage must meet specific nutrition standards for calories, sugars, caffeine and fats • Portion sizes for all allowable beverages is 12 ounces (excluding plain water)

8. Exemptions for Beverages The Board of Education may permit the sale of other beverages so long as ALL THREE of the following criteria are met • The sale is in conjunction with an EVENT occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend • The sale is at the location of the event • The beverages are not sold from a vending machine or school store

9. Vending Machine Implications • ALL Beverages sold in school vending machines must comply with regulations at all times • NO exemptions exist for vending machines, not after school hours, not during events

10. Nutrition StandardsSection 2 of Public Act 06-63 • Nutrition standards will be published by the Connecticut State Department of Education to address ALL food sold to students that is purchased separately from a reimbursable USDA school breakfast or lunch • http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/index.htm#Standards

11. Standards Focus • Decreasing dietary fat and sugar • Increasing nutrient density of food sold in schools • Moderating portion size

12. Supporting Organizations • 􀂃 American Cancer Society • 􀂃 American Heart Association, serving Connecticut • 􀂃 Association of School Nurses of Connecticut • 􀂃 Connecticut Action for Healthy Kids • 􀂃 Connecticut Association of Boards of Education • 􀂃 Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents • 􀂃 Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics • 􀂃 Connecticut Commission on Children • 􀂃 Connecticut Dietetic Association • 􀂃 Connecticut Parent Teacher Association • 􀂃 Connecticut School Nutrition Association • 􀂃 Connecticut State Department of Education • 􀂃 Connecticut State Department of Public Health • Cardiovascular Health Program and Nutrition Program • 􀂃 End Hunger Connecticut! Inc. • 􀂃 New England Dairy & Food Council • 􀂃 University of Connecticut Department of Nutritional

13. Nutrition StandardsSection 2 of Public Act 06-63 • CSDE will evaluate and revise standards as needed to reflect changes in nutrition science and the availability of new healthy food items • Initial standards were published August 1, 2006 • Revised standards will be published by January 1 of each year thereafter

14. Connecticut Nutrition Standards • Address all a la carte foods • Entrees (when sold separately from school meal) • Cooked grains • Soups • Fruits and Vegetables • Baked Items • Snacks and Desserts

15. Healthy Food CertificationSection 3 of Public Act 06-63 • This section of the Act is OPTIONAL • Allows the BOE to certify to CSDE whether ALL food items that are sold to students separately from a school breakfast or lunch meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards

16. If the district chooses to participate………………… • ALL food that is sold to students separately from the reimbursable school lunch or school breakfast must meet the CT Nutrition Standards at all times • INCLUDING foods sold in the cafeteria, vending machines, school store and foods sold for fundraising • This encompasses all schools in the district and all grade levels

17. As with the beverage law, the BOE may choose to to exempt foods when all three exemption criteria are met This law covers anything under the BOE jurisdiction, including summer school and after school programs

18. Additional information • All food that is given to students (free of charge) is exempt • Fundraising booths are not “events” and therefore are not exempt • Foods sold in schools to be eaten at home (pies, cheesecakes) are not exempt if students are handling the food or monies

19. What’s in it for us??? • A healthier community • Improved student behavior • Improved faculty wellbeing • Ten cents for every USDA reimbursable meal sold in the year prior to certification

20. Sign us up!?!?!?!?!? • EVERYONE has to be on board to make this work, food services, individuals responsible for vending, school stores and fundraising • Monies will be revoked for non-compliance

21. Where does the money go??? Reimbursed monies go directly to the school foods program to be used for; • Providing samples of new healthy foods • Buying higher quality, more healthful foods

22. More information • The state will maintain a website with continuously updated information • New information will appear on this website each Wednesday • http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/index.htm