Evaluation of the Implementation of New Haven, Connecticut Public School District Wellness Policy

This project will focus on developing an evaluation tool to assess the implementation of the New Haven, Connecticut Public School District Wellness Policy on physical activity and nutrition. The Wellness Policy was developed in response to The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, a piece of legislation requiring all school districts participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Child Nutrition Program to develop a school wellness policy by the first day of the 2006-2007 school year. During the 2007-2008 school year, The Connecticut State Department of Education conducted a review of district school wellness policies using a 96-item assessment tool that was developed in partnership with the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. The tool reviewed both the comprehensiveness and strength of the way in which each component was addressed within the written Wellness Policy. To assess the implementation of the written policy and identify when and how the school district has effectively adjusted its practices to accommodate for the necessary changes, we will design an evaluation tool. This tool will be based on seven components: nutrition education, school meals, other school food and beverages, physical education, physical activity, communication and promotion, and evaluation. A pilot of the evaluation will be conducted within the New Haven public school district to determine its effectiveness, feasibility, and sustainability. Finally, this project will recommend next steps for the New Haven school district in its continuing efforts to improve the Wellness Policy, its implementation, and the evaluation process.