connecticut state department of education

1Connecticut State Department of Education August 2006

Note: This presentation provides general guidance regarding the requirements and implementation of Public Act 06-63, An Act Concerning Healthy Food and Beverages in Schools. For questions or additional guidance, please contact the Connecticut State Department of Education (see last slide for contact information).


Complying with Public Act 06-63 An Act Concerning Healthy Food and Beverages in Schools

Connecticut State Department of EducationBureau of Health and Nutrition Services and Child/Family/School Partnerships


Prevalence of Overweight in Children and Teens

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1963-1970 1971-1974 1976-1980 1988-1994

1999-2000 2001-2002 2003-2004

Ogden CL, Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in overweight among US children and adolescents, 1999-2000. JAMA 288:1728-32. 2002.

Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. JAMA 295:1549-1555. 2006.


Well-planned and effectively implemented school nutrition and fitness programs enhance students’overall healthbehavioracademic achievement

School policies and practices play a significant role in determining whether the environment supports healthy student behaviorsencourages learning

Schools Make a Difference


Overview of Public Act 06-63

Section-By-Section Walk Through


Public Act 06-63An Act Concerning Healthy Food and Beverages in Schools

Signed into law May 19, 2006

Effective July 1, 2006

www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/PA/2006PA-00063-R00SB-00373-PA.htm


Public Act 06-63 Applies Only to Student Sales

Food and beverages 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 or other areas that are prohibited to students

– Special adult meals or a la carte items that are not sold to students


Addresses beverages that can be sold to students in public schools*

Applies to all public schools* (not optional)

Allows only 5 beverage categories

– Public school districts– Vocational-technical school system– Charter schools– Interdistrict magnet schools– Endowed academies

Section 1 of Public Act 06-63

* Includes


Section 1 of Public Act 06-63 Allowable Beverages

Milk, flavored and unflavored• No artificial sweeteners 4 grams of sugar per ounce

Nondairy milk, e.g., soy or rice• May be flavored but no artificial sweeteners 4 grams of sugar per ounce 35 percent of calories from fat per portion 10 percent of calories from saturated fat

per portion



100% fruit or vegetable juice or combination • No added sugars, sweeteners or

artificial sweeteners

Water and juice beverages• No added sugars, sweeteners or




Water (plain or flavored)• No added sugars, sweeteners or


• No caffeine



Portion size for all allowable beverages is 12 ounces• Except water (unlimited)


Section 1 of Public Act 06-63 Exemptions for Beverages

1. the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend

2. The sale is at the location of the event

3. The beverages are not sold from a vending machine or school store

The board of education or governing authority may permit the sale of other beverages if three exemption conditions are met:



Regular School Day

The regular school day is the period that begins with the arrival of the first child at school and ends after the last instructional period



Event An occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice, meeting or extracurricular activity

Event Not An Event

soccer game soccer practice

high school debate debating team practice

school play play rehearsals

school chess match chess club



Examples of Events

School dance Family bingo night PTA/PTO craft fair School concert Theatrical production Sports games, e.g., basketball,

football, soccer School fair



The board of education or governing authority must take action to permit the sale of any beverages not allowed by Section 1

– Must specify what beverages are allowed if the 3 conditions are met

– Can be general or specific


Section 1 of Public Act 06-63 applies to summer school programs (e.g., enrichment or exploratory programs) operated by the school district

Section 1 of Public Act 06-63 Summer School Programs


If summer school programs are not operated by the school district, the board of education may permit the sale of beverages that do not comply with Section 1 of Public Act-06-63 if the three exemption conditions are met:


2. The sale is at the location of the event3. The beverages are not sold from a vending

machine or school store



The board of education or governing authority must take action to permit the sale of beverages in summer school programs

– Must specify what beverages are allowed if the 3 conditions are met




Nutrition standards shall be published by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) to address all food sold to students that is purchased separately from a reimbursable breakfast or lunch under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Breakfast Program or National School Lunch Program

Connecticut Nutrition Standards

Section 2 of Public Act 06-63Nutrition Standards

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Standards


Must be published by August 1, 2006

Must be published by January 1 of each year thereafter

CSDE will evaluate and revise standards as needed to reflect changes in nutrition science and the availability of new healthy food items

Section 2 of Public Act 06-63Nutrition Standards


Section 3 of Public Act 06-63Healthy Food Certification

Optional

Allows the board of education or governing authority to certify to CSDE whether all food items that are sold to students separately from a reimbursable breakfast or lunch meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards


Eligible school systems include– Public school districts– Vocational-technical school system– Charter schools– Interdistrict magnet schools– Endowed academies

District must participate in USDA’s National School Lunch Program



All food that is sold to students separately from the reimbursable breakfast or lunch must meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards

Applies to all sources of food offered for sale to students at all times, including cafeterias, vending machines, school stores and fundraisers


If a district chooses to participate


Applies to all schools under district’s jurisdiction and all grade levels (elementary, middle and high)

Applies to the use of tokens or equivalent items that students can exchange for food

– Sale defined as “the exchange of property or services for a determined amount of money or its equivalent”




Applies to all food offered in USDA’s Seamless Summer Food Programs and Summer Food Service Programs operated by the board of education

Applies to all food offered in USDA’s After-School Snack Program




Menu items must meet USDA requirements (Meal Pattern for the After-School Snack Program)

Menu items must also meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards– Snacks listed on CSDE’s healthy snack

list* may or may not meet the After-School Snack Program meal pattern requirements

After-School Snack Program


*www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Healthy


Section 3 of Public Act 06-63 Exemptions for Food


2. The sale is at the location of the event

3. The food is not sold from a vending machine or school store

The board of education or governing authority may permit the sale of food that does not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards if the three exemption conditions are met:


Description of “event” and “regular school day” is the same as previously indicated for beverages

Process for exemption of food items is the same as previously indicated for beverages



The board of education or governing authority must take action to permit the sale of food that does not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards

– Must specify what food is allowed if the 3 conditions are met




Board of education or governing authority decides how to grant exemptions



The healthy food certification applies to summer school programs (e.g., enrichment or exploratory programs) operated by the school district

– must meet Connecticut Nutrition Standards if district certifies for the healthy food option



If summer school programs are not operated by the school district, the board of education may permit the sale of food that does not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards IF the three exemption conditions are met

Summer school programs not operated by the district are outside of the school day, so first condition is already met

Other two conditions must also be met

– Sale must be at the location of the event– The food can not sold from a vending

machine or school store



The board of education or governing authority must take action to permit the sale of food that does not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards

– Must specify what food is allowed if the 3 conditions are met




The healthy food certification only concerns the food items that are made available for sale to students in schools under the certifying district's jurisdiction

A district* that receives meals under contract from a certifying district is not required to follow the Connecticut Nutrition Standards

* Examples: another public school district, private school, charter school

Section 3 of Public Act 06-63 Contract to Feed Other Schools


Section 4 of Public Act 06-63

FundingApplication Monitoring


Section 5 of Public Act 06-63 Eligibility for Funding

Nonpublic schools and nonprofit agencies can participate in the USDA meal programs but they are not eligible for the additional funding under Section 3 (healthy food certification)– Private schools– Nonprofit organizations– Residential child care institutions (RCCIs)


Section 6 of Public Act 06-63 New Language for 10-221p Amends Section 10-221p of the

Connecticut General Statutes and replaces with new language

Clarifies that also applies to charter schools, interdistrict magnet schools and endowed academies

Deletes previous requirements for provision of healthy drinks when other beverages are sold to students


Section 6 of Public Act 06-63 New Language for 10-221p

Special Milk Programs are no longer required to sell water, juice or other healthy beverages when milk is sold to students


Section 6 of Public Act 06-63 New Language for 10-221p

When food is available for purchase by students during the regular school day, nutritious and low-fat foods must also be available for sale

This includes, but is not limited to, low-fat dairy products and fresh or dried fruit


The Details


http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Standards


Address all a la carte foods (food items that are sold separately from a reimbursable breakfast or lunch), e.g.,– Entrees– Cooked grains– Soups– Fruits and vegetables– Baked items– Snacks and Desserts



Baked chips, popcorn, rice cakes, puffed snacks Crackers, hard pretzels, pita chips, snack mix Peanut butter-filled crackers and cheese-filled crackers Trail mix, nuts, seeds, soy nuts Jerky Cereals Cookies, animal crackers, graham crackers, cereal bars,

granola bars Bakery items, e.g., pastries, toaster pastries, muffins,

bagels, soft pretzels Frozen desserts and ice cream Pudding and parfaits Yogurt Smoothies made with low-fat yogurt or other low-fat dairy

alternatives and/or fruit juice Cheese Nut butters, e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, soy butter

Snacks and Desserts


Incorporate Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Standards

– Developed in 2003-2004 as part of Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Pilot

– Address three snack categories1. Beverages 2. Fruits and Vegetables3. Snacks and Desserts

Include additional food groups not previously addressed by Healthy Snack Standards



Focus on

Decreasing fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars

Increasing nutrient density, e.g., fiber and whole grains

Moderating portion sizes



CSDE convened Nutrition Standards Committee after bill became law

Development – late May to June 2006

Committee included– representatives from CSDE and state health

organizations and associations– committee members from the 2003-2004

Healthy Snack Standards Committee – a pediatrician, dietitians, food service

directors, CSDE nutrition staff and others

Connecticut Nutrition StandardsDevelopment


Identified the food groups that were not already covered by the Healthy Snack Standards

Reviewed existing standards from other states and national organizations

Evaluated food products to determine impact of standards

Connecticut Nutrition StandardsDevelopment


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 Nutrition StandardsSupporting Organizations


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 Sciences

Connecticut Nutrition StandardsSupporting Organizations


Definition of Entree Items A combination food including

meat/meat alternate and grain/bread, e.g.,

– turkey sandwich– pizza– hamburger on a bun– cheese burrito– pasta and meat sauce– nachos and cheese– egg and sausage biscuit– breakfast sandwich– peanut butter sandwich– cheese on a roll

Connecticut Nutrition StandardsEntree Items


Definition of Entree Items A combination food including

vegetable/fruit and meat/meat alternate, e.g., – chicken stir fry with vegetables– chef’s salad– fruit and cheese platter– baked potato with chili

A meat/meat alternate alone*, e.g., – sausage pattie– egg– cheese wedge– peanut butter

*Excludes yogurt, nuts and seeds



1. Grain/bread items (e.g., rolls, bagels, pancakes, muffins, waffles, french toast, bagels, toast)

2. Fruits and vegetables

3. Yogurt

4. Nuts and seeds

Individual food items that are already addressed by the Healthy Snack Standards are not considered to be entree items




Two categories

1. Entree items that are planned as part of a reimbursable school meal and are also sold a la carte

2. Entree items that are only planned as a la carte items and are not sold as part of a reimbursable school meal


Standard for Entree Items 1) Planned as part of reimbursable meal

Portion size is not larger than the serving size planned and served as part of the reimbursable meal for the appropriate age/grade group under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meal pattern


Standard for Entree Items 1) Planned as part of reimbursable meal

Entree items that are planned as part of a reimbursable meal do not need to meet any additional nutrition standards – USDA meals are already planned to meet required

USDA nutrient standards

– USDA’s nutrient standards address calories and nutrients, and also set limits for fat and saturated fat

– Entree items planned as part of a reimbursable school meal have already been selected to fit into the USDA nutrient standards based on the weekly school menu


Leftover Entree Items

Leftover entree items planned as part of a reimbursable meal do not need to meet additional nutrition standards (except portion size)

If a leftover entree item is only sold as an a la carte item, it must meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards


Standard for Entree Items 2) Planned for a la carte sales only

Portion size is not larger than the serving size that would be normally planned and served as part of a reimbursable meal for the appropriate age/grade group under the USDA meal pattern


Standard for Entree Items 2) Planned for a la carte sales only

Fat: No more than 18 grams per serving

Saturated and/or Trans Fat: No more than 5 grams per serving

Added Sugar: No more than 15 grams per serving

Fiber and Whole Grains: Increase choices of whole grains and foods containing fiber

Sodium: Not yet defined


Standard for Cooked Grains (e.g., Rice, Pasta)

Portion Size is not larger than the serving size that would normally be planned and served as part of a reimbursable meal for the appropriate age/grade group under the USDA meal pattern


Fat: No more than 7 grams per serving Saturated and/or Trans Fat: No more than

2 grams per serving Added Sugar: No more than 15 grams per

serving Fiber and Whole Grains: Increase choices

of whole grains and naturally occurring grains (those with minimal/trace amounts of added fat and no added sugar)


Standard for Cooked Grains (e.g., Rice, Pasta)


Portion Size: Not to exceed 1 cup

Standard for Soups


Fat: No more than 7 grams per serving

Saturated and/or Trans Fat: No more than 2 grams per serving

Added Sugar: No more than 15 grams per serving

Fiber and Whole Grains: Increase choices of whole grains and naturally occurring grains (those with minimal/trace amounts of added fat and no added sugar)


Standard for Soups


Portion Size:

½ cup minimum for quality fruits and vegetables*

½ cup maximum for vegetables or fruits with added fat

1.5 ounces maximum for dried fruit

Standard for Fruits and Vegetables

* “Quality” means fruits and vegetables prepared and packaged without added fat, sugar or sodium


Fat: No more than 35 percent of total calories from fat and no more than 7 grams per serving

Saturated and/or Trans Fat: No more than 10 percent of calories from saturated and/or trans fat and no more than 2 grams per serving

Added Sugar: No more than 35 percent by weight and 15 grams per serving



Fruit roll-ups and fruit snacks that are not 100 percent fruit do not meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards



Portion Size:

Serve reasonable portion sizes

To discourage consumption of multiple servings, snack items are packaged in a single-serving package or in a package that does not exceed the maximum portion size specified for each snack item

Standard for Snacks and Desserts


Maximum Portion Sizes for Snacks and Desserts

Baked chips, popcorn, rice cakes, puffed snacks 1.25 oz

Crackers, hard pretzels, pita chips, snack mix 1.75 oz

Peanut butter-filled crackers and cheese-filled crackers 1.5 oz

Trail mix, nuts, seeds, soy nuts 1.75 oz

Jerky 1.25 oz

Cereals 2 oz

Cookies, animal crackers, graham crackers, cereal bars, granola bars

2 oz

Bakery items, e.g., pastries, toaster pastries, muffins, bagels, soft pretzels

3 oz

Frozen desserts, ice cream 4 oz

Pudding 4 oz

Yogurt 8 oz

Smoothies made with low-fat yogurt or other low-fat dairy alternatives and/or fruit juice

10 fl oz

Cheese (low-fat recommended) 2 oz

Nut butters, e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, soy butter 4 Tbsp


Fat: No more than 35 percent of total calories from fat and no more than 7 grams per serving

– Exception for nutrient-dense foods, such as nuts, seeds, peanut and other nut butters and cheese (served in the portion sizes specified)



Saturated and/or Trans Fat: No more than 10 percent of calories from saturated and/or trans fat and no more than 2 grams per serving



Added Sugars: No more than 35 percent by weight and 15 grams per serving – Excludes naturally occurring sugars in fruits,

vegetables and dairy products

– Yogurt and Pudding: No more than 5 grams total sugar (naturally occurring and added) per ounce

– Smoothies (made with low-fat yogurt or other low-fat dairy alternatives and/or fruit/juice): No more than 5 grams total sugar (naturally occurring and added) per ounce



Fiber and Whole Grains: Encourage the availability of whole grains and foods containing fiber– Provide choices of whole grains and

naturally occurring grains (those with minimal/trace amounts of added fat and no added sugar)

– Limit grain-based snack items made from enriched flour



Recommendations – Individual portion size– Low-fat– Low-sodium

Condiments


Meeting the Nutrition Standards

Schoolmade Items Analyze recipes for compliance

Purchased Items Review nutrition information for

compliance Review CSDE’s list of healthy snacks Submit product information to CSDE

for evaluation of compliance– Nutrition facts label– Portion size of package– List of ingredients


The Details

Funding and Payment Process


10 cents per lunch for districts that certify all food items (sold to students separately from a reimbursable breakfast or lunch) will meet Connecticut Nutrition Standards

Based on the number of lunches served in the district in the prior year– e.g., if start in September 2006, funding

is based on the district’s lunch counts in the 2005-2006 school year




CSDE calculates total payment Payment process will be similar

to the distribution of state match funds for school meals– First payment (75 percent) will be

received in the fall– Second payment (25 percent) will

be received in the spring


Funding is available for each year that the district certifies that all food items (sold to students separately from a reimbursable breakfast or lunch) will meet Connecticut Nutrition Standards




Lunch Counts

The number of lunches upon which funding is based includes all lunches served in the district during the prior year for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), including lunches served in– the Summer Seamless Program

– Head Start Programs operated by the board of education and participating in the NSLP



Lunch Counts

If a public school contracts to provide lunches to a private school or nonprofit organization these lunches are not included in the total number of lunches upon which funding is based



Lunch Counts If a public school district contracts

to provide lunches to another eligible public school district, these lunches may be included in the total number of lunches upon which funding is based IF

1. The recipient district is included on the district's Agreement for Child Nutrition Programs (ED-099)

2. The recipient district certifies on the CSDE interschool agreement that they will comply with the healthy food certification (Section 3 of Public Act 06-63)



Lunch Counts A new individual school sponsor of

the NSLP must wait until the next school year before participating in the healthy food certification– Must have prior lunch counts for

CSDE to determine funding

Districts with new schools could still certify, but would only receive funding based on the number of lunches served in those schools with lunch counts for the prior year


Timing of Payment In order to receive a first payment in

the fall, the district must complete the Healthy Food Certification Statement - Addendum to Agreement for Child Nutrition Programs (ED-099)

Must be approved by the board of education or governing authority

Must be received by CSDE no later than September 15th in order to receive a fall payment



Timing of Payment

If the Healthy Food Certification Statement is received by CSDE after September 15th, the district will be fully reimbursed in one payment in the spring



If the approved Healthy Food Certification Statement is received by CSDE no later than October 1st then

1. Funding will be based on the dates indicated in the Healthy Food Certification Statement

2. The district will receive one payment in the spring

Board of education or governing authority approval (meeting minutes) must reflect period of certification (beginning and ending date)



If the approved Healthy Food Certification Statement is not received by CSDE by October 1st, then the start date on which funding is based must be no earlier than the date the board of education or governing authority approved the certification statement

Funding will be prorated accordingly

District will receive one payment in spring



The Details

Application Process


CSDE shall determine the application and certification process

CSDE shall determine the eligibility of the applicant to receive funds

Section 4 of Public Act 06-63 Application and Monitoring


Eligible school districts may apply to participate in the healthy food certification at any time during the school year

Application Process


Application ProcessCompleting the Healthy Food Certification Statement 1. Contact CSDE’s Child Nutrition

Programs (860-807-2101) to receive the information and application packet or download from CSDE website www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2678&q=320676#Packet

2. Meet with appropriate individuals to discuss participation

– school food service– individuals responsible for vending machines, school

stores, fundraisers and any other food sales to students


3. Get on meeting agenda for board of education or governing authority

4. Complete the materials and obtain approval from the board of education or governing authority to participate in the healthy food certification

5. Identify the district’s key contact person and complete the District Contact and Information Sheet

6. Return two signed originals of the Healthy Food Certification Statement with the District Contact and Information Sheet to CSDE

Application ProcessCompleting the Healthy Food Certification Statement


Healthy Food Certification Statement must be completed and approved annually

Application ProcessCompleting the Healthy Food Certification Statement


The Details

Monitoring Compliance


CSDE shall determine the procedure for monitoring of compliance

CSDE may adjust grant amount for failure to comply with certification

Section 4 of Public Act 06-63 Application and Monitoring



CSDE will monitor school districts that choose to participate in the healthy food certification option (Section 3 of PA 06-63)

CSDE will provide technical assistance



The certifying board of education or governing authority is responsible for ensuring compliance

CSDE may adjust grant amount for failure to comply with certification

More details will be forthcoming


Resources for Implementing Healthy Food and Beverages in Schools

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754


Connecticut Nutrition Standards for Food in School– Complete nutrition standards– Rationale for development of each standard– Additional implementation recommendations

Summary of Requirements for School Food and Beverages– Two-page summary– Summarizes beverage requirements of

Section 1 of PA 06-63 and Connecticut Nutrition Standards


www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Standards


Snacks Meeting Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Standards– Brand-specific list of food and

beverages by category

Vendors for Healthy Snacks– List of manufacturers, brokers and

vendors that sell snack food and beverages that meet Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Standards

Products and Vendors

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Healthy


Guidance for Healthy Snacks in Schools – Detailed guidance to assist schools

with implementing a healthy snack program, based on the experiences of the schools that participated in CSDE’s Healthy Snack Pilot

– Includes implementation steps, strategies for success and considerations for evaluating impact

Healthy Snacks



Summary Data Report on Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Pilot– Provides an overview of CSDE’s Healthy

Snack Pilot and summarizes the results for the 8 schools that participated

Healthy Snack Pilot Case Studies– Provide detailed descriptions of each school’s

unique characteristics (including food service operations, snack items sold, pricing structure for meals and snacks, competitive foods sold and activities conducted) and data regarding the specific outcomes in each school

Healthy Snacks



Healthy School Nutrition Environment Resource List– Websites and online resources related to

promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, including sections on nutrition standards for foods, a la carte sales and vending, healthy fundraisers and school wellness policies

List of Nutrition-Related Websites– Websites and online resources related to

nutrition, food safety and Child Nutrition Programs

Resource Lists

www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2626&q=320754#Resources


Connecticut State Department of EducationBureau of Health and Nutrition Services and Child/Family/School Partnerships

25 Industrial Park RoadMiddletown, CT 06457

CSDE Contact Information

Nutrition Education CoordinatorSusan Fiore

860-807-2075 [email protected]

Director, Child Nutrition ProgramsMaureen Staggenborg

860-807-2070 [email protected]

School Nutrition Programs Staff

Teri Dandeneau 860-807-2079 [email protected]

RoseAnna Holliday 860-807-2064 [email protected]

Lorraine Sternal 860-807-2008 [email protected]

Bob Zwack 860-807-2081 [email protected]

connecticut state department of education

Documents