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APPENDIX
C
RESEARCH
ISSUES AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Appendix C
Table C-1. Option Year 1
Research Issues and Questions for State Child Nutrition Director
survey
Issue
|
Question
|
Section
A: Policies
School
Wellness Policy
|
How
many states have model school wellness policies for SFAs to use
in developing local wellness policies that meet the Federal
requirements? Are any local wellness policies stricter than the
Federal requirements?
How
many states have a state-wide priority for establishing healthy
school environments and implementing local wellness policies?
How
many states have developed a communication plan to ensure
consistent communication and updates around local school
wellness policy requirements?
How
many states established a method of accountability so that
LEAs/districts follow through with local school wellness policy
implementation?
How
many states provide technical assistance to LEAs/districts on
local school wellness policies?
What
partnerships do states have to help deliver consistent messages,
provide resources, and support local school wellness policies?
What
standards and guidelines have states provided to implement local
school wellness policies?
What
methods do states use for reporting on school nutrition
environment and making information available to the public?
Has
the development of a local school wellness policy impacted
nutrition quality, physical activity, and other school based
activities in promoting student wellness?
|
Section
B: Resources and Finances
State
subsidies to SFAs
|
Does
the state provide financial resources for school meals to SFAs
in the form of per-meal subsidies? What was the total amount
given?
Does
the state provide support for any other aspects of the school
food service operation?
|
Budget
issues
|
Do
states have adequate staffing resources for monitoring?
Have
states been able to fully-use Federal funds provided to
administer the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School
Breakfast Program (SBP)? What challenges have impeded state’s
ability to fully-use Federal funds? What actions impacted
states’ ability to fully-use Federal funds?
Are
states using contracted staff for certain functions?
|
Section
C: Operational Procedures
Provision
2/3
|
|
Food
service management companies
|
|
Charter
schools
|
How
many charter schools are participating in the SBP and/or NSLP?
For
purposes of school food operations, are charter schools treated
as a separate SFA, as part of an existing SFA, or a combination
of both? Does this vary by state?
|
USDA
Foods
|
Do
states allow SFAs to order from the full list of USDA foods? How
do states obtain feedback from SFAs regarding which USDA Foods
to offer?
How
do SFAs submit their requests for specific quantities of USDA
Foods?
How
often can SFAs order USDA Foods?
|
Reallocation
of unused entitlement
|
|
Section
D: Training and Technical Assistance
|
What
specific topic areas do state agencies include in training and
technical assistance programs? How frequently is training
provided?
How
do state agencies provide training and technical assistance?
Has
the level of training changed over the last 3 years? If so, why?
Have
the topics changed over the last year? If so, what topics have
been added or deleted?
Who
receives training and technical assistance?
|
Table C-2. Option Year 1
Research Issues and Questions for SFA Survey
Issue
|
Question
|
Section
1: School Participation
|
How
many schools participate in SBP and/or NSLP? How many schools
participate in the Afterschool Snack Program or the At-Risk
Supper Program?
What
percent of SFAs with schools participating in SBP are eligible
for severe need reimbursement? What percent participate in NSLP
as high need?
|
Section
2: Student Participation
|
What
percent of students participate in SBP and NSLP?
What
percent of students do not have access to the SBP and NSLP?
What
was the average daily attendance for students?
How
many school breakfasts and lunches were claimed at full price,
reduced price and free over the past three years?
|
Section
3: Food Service Operations
Competitive
Foods
|
What
percent of SFAs sell competitive foods?
When
and where (e.g., a la carte lines, snack bars, food carts,
school stores, vending machines) are competitive foods sold?
What
are typical competitive foods that are offered?
How
do students pay for competitive foods? How do students pay for
reimbursable meals? What percent of students pay for lunch
electronically?
|
Water
|
Is
free potable water available where school meals are served? What
are the sources?
If
tap water is available for drinking, is it tested for
contaminants?
|
Special
Assistance Alternatives
|
How
many schools are operating under Special Assistance Alternatives
for NSLP and SBP? What is the likelihood that schools will elect
the Community Eligibility Option (CEO) when the option becomes
available?
What
percent of SFAs operate a universal free breakfast program?
What
percent of SFAs utilize food service management companies?
|
Foster
Care
|
|
Section
4: Local School Wellness Policy
|
Has
the LEA established a local wellness policy for all schools?
Who
is involved in the development of the local wellness policy?
Who
is involved in periodic review and updating of the local
wellness policy?
Has
the local wellness policy been revised within the last year?
What
elements are included in the wellness policy?
Who
is involved in the implementation of the local wellness policy?
Does
the local wellness policy address which USDA Foods can be
ordered? If so, which foods?
Has
an assessment been conducted of the local wellness policy within
the last year?
Who
is designated in the district to ensure that each school
complies with the local wellness policy?
Does
the LEA inform the public about the content and implementation
of the local wellness policy? How is this information provided
to the public?
Does
the LEA inform the public whether each school is complying with
the local wellness policy? How is this information provided to
the public?
Have
any individual schools implemented stricter local school
wellness policies than Federal, state, or district-level rules
or regulations?
Has
the district used any materials in the USDA Foods Toolkit to
promote nutritious school meals to parents and administrators?
How
do schools make information about food safety inspections
available to the public?
|
Section
5: New Meal Pattern Requirements
General
Implementation
Nutrient
Requirements
Purchasing
Changes
Implementation
Assistance and Promotion
Certification
Student
Perception of Meal Patterns
|
How
challenging was it to initially implement the meal patterns? How
challenging has it been to continue to implement the meal
patterns?
Has
plate waste changed as a result of the new patterns? What are
the reasons for the change?
What
proportion of SFAs do scratch cooking? Has this changed?
What
proportion of SFAs have implemented the new breakfast
requirements? How challenging has it been to meet these
requirements?
What
proportion of SFAs use either USDA Foods or DoD Fresh for
additional fruit and vegetable purchases?
What
changes have taken place in serving fruit and vegetable product,
gran and whole grain, and meat/meat alternate because of the new
meal patterns?
What
percent of SFAs report challenges in meeting the minimum or not
exceeding the maximum required calorie requirements?
What
proportion of SFAs review labels for trans-fat? Have SFAs
changed how they review labels? If so, how?
Have
SFAs changed the foods served to meet trans-fat requirements?
What
proportion of SFAs faced challenges in meeting the saturated fat
requirements?
What
is the current average daily sodium content served? In unknown,
what practices will be used to reduce the sodium levels?
What
strategies are used by SFAs to ensure correct meals and portion
sizes are served to students in each grade level? Are servers
trained in portion control?
What
adjustments have SFAs made to meet student requests for
additional food? What are the sources of funding?
Are
material changes in purchasing from food distributors required
due to the new meal patterns? Which products have SFAs had
difficulty purchasing?
Have
types and amounts of USDA foods ordered changed to meet new
requirements?
How
many SFAs believe students are eating more fruits and vegetables
as a result of the new meal patterns? Which vegetables are least
liked?
How
many SFAs report student, parent and community member acceptance
of new meal pattern requirements?
For
high schools with off campus lunch policies, are more students
staying on campus for lunch since new meal patterns?
|
Section
6: Meal Prices
|
What
is the average price charged for full-price, reduced-price, and
adult breakfasts and lunches for the current school year? Over
the past 3 years?
What
are the patterns of price change in the NSLP and SBP? How often
do SFAs change meal prices? What is the typical size of the
price increase?
What
factors influence school breakfast and lunch prices?
How
many SFAs increased prices in response to paid lunch equity
provision? How many offset increase with non-Federal funds? What
were the sources of those funds? Would prices have increased
regardless of equity provision?
How
many SFAs have increased a la carte prices over the past year?
For what types of foods have prices increased? How much have
prices increased?
What
record keeping systems do SFAs use for a la carte sales and
non-program food costs?
|
Section
7: Revenues
|
What
were the total dollar receipts of the school food service
program from cash receipts from sale of reimbursable meals from
Federal, state and local reimbursements? À la carte
sales? Other revenue sources?
How
are state/local revenues provided (e.g., on a per-meal basis)?
Are state revenues used to support any other aspects of the
school food service program?
How
do revenues generated by full-price and reduced-price meals
(prices charged plus meal reimbursement) compare to the Federal
subsidy for free meals?
What
percent of SFA revenues come from USDA subsidies? From à
la carte sales? From other sources?
|
Section
8: Expenditures
|
Are
SFAs operating on a non-profit basis? How do total SFA revenues
compare to total expenditures? What percent of expenditures are
salaries, benefits, foods, etc?
|
Section
9: Food Service Equipment
|
Did
any schools receive equipment assistance during Fiscal Year 2009
through FY 2011?
What
focus areas did the equipment assistance address?
What
types of equipment were purchased?
Did
the grant funding meet the needs of the schools to improve its
foodservice operations?
|
Section
10: Farm to School Activities
|
What
percent of SFAs have schools that participated in or plan to
participate in Farm to School activities? When did LEAs start
implementing Farm to School activities?
Who
plans the activities?
Do
LEAs have policies that support Farm to School activities?
How
many districts have evaluated Farm to School activities? What
was the focus of the evaluation?
How
many districts/schools have received external grant funding
specifically for Farm to School activities? How were funds used?
How much was used during SY 2011-12?
|
Section
11: Training and Technical Assistance
|
What
proportion of SFAs received training or technical assistance?
In
what topic areas was training and technical assistance provided
to SFA staff? Who provided? How useful was it?
Who
received training or technical assistance during the current
School Year?
What
additional training and technical assistance is needed?
|
Section
12: SFA Food Service Staff Background
|
What
are the minimum educational requirements for a School Food
Service Manager?
What
are the minimum educational requirements for a non-supervisory
School Food Service staff member?
What
percent of school food service staff are limited English
proficient?
|
Table C-3. Option Year 1
Research Issues and Questions for On-Site Visits
Issue
|
Question
|
Source
|
Food
Service Manager Interview
|
Cafeteria
Obser-vation Guide
|
Other
Food Source Checklist
|
Vending
Machine Checklist
|
Food
Service Operations
|
Where
and when do students eat school meals?
What
are the characteristics and condition of school cafeteria
facilities (space per student, furnishings, lighting, competing
uses, waste disposal, cleanliness, etc)? What alternative
locations are used for feeding students school meals (e.g.,
classrooms)?
Do
schools display information that instructs students about
reimbursable meals, healthier food options, and Offer versus
Serve?
What
is the average amount of time provided to students for breakfast
and lunch?
How
are students served meals (i.e., number of lines, wait time,
self-service, placement of fruits/vegetables)? Are reimbursable
and non-reimbursable meals serve in separate lines? Are trays
available?
What
are the conditions (i.e., movement, noise) during breakfast and
lunch? Is there adequate staffing and supervision during meal
service? Adequate time to eat?
Are
“trading” tables available to students?
Do
SFAs seek feedback from students? How do SFAs decide what to
implement?
|
X
X
X
|
X
X
X
X
X
X
|
|
|
Competitive
Foods
|
When
and where (e.g., a la carte lines, snack bars, food carts,
school stores, vending machines) are competitive foods sold?
What
are typical competitive foods that are offered? What are the
sources (a la carte, food cart, snack bar, school store,
vending, other)?
Have
SFAs/schools made changes in availability of competitive foods
over the past 2 years? In which areas? What changes were made?
Why were changes made?
Who
makes decisions about competitive foods? Have parents provided
input? How do parents provide input?
|
X
X
X
|
|
X
|
X
|
Meals
|
Is
free potable water available where school meals are served? What
are the sources?
Is
reimbursable meal appealing?
What
percent of students buy lunch?
Are
microwaves available? What is the level of usage during lunch?
How
many students brought versus purchase lunch?
|
|
X
X
X
X
X
|
|
|
Plate
Waste
|
Has
plate waste changed since implementing the new meal pattern
requirements? What are the reasons for the change in plate
waste? How much food is tossed into waste disposal containers?
Do
students properly dispose of their food waste?
|
X
|
X
X
|
|
|
Health
and Food Safety
|
What
food safety measures are followed during food service (e.g.,
hairnets, gloves, food temperature, etc)?
How
are milk products stored during food service? What types of milk
are available?
Do
students self-serve any portion of their meal? Which items? Are
self-serve stations appropriate height? Do self-serve stations
have sneeze guards?
What
clean-up is done after meals?
Are
hand-washing stations and supplies available to students?
|
X
|
X
X
X
X
|
|
|
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
Author | Kim Standing |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-30 |