PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Angela Kline Director, Policy and Program Development Division Child Nutrition Programs Food and Nutrition Service, USDA Jan Barrett MS, MBA, RD, Senior Nutritionist Child Nutrition Programs Food and Nutrition Service, USDA

FNS Child Nutrition Programs Priorities

• Promoting childhood nutrition, • Encouraging healthier food choices, • Increasing the availability of food, • Adhering to science-based nutrition

standards, and • Ensuring that children get nutritious

food, year-round.

Today’s Objectives Following today’s session you will:

• Understand the key requirements of the final rule. • Understand the flexibilities allowed. • Learn about available resources. • Learn the answers to common questions.

Presentation Outline • Overview of New Professional Standards • Hiring Standards • Training Standards • Planning Your Professional Standards Training • FNS and Partner Training Resources • Frequently Asked Questions

What are Professional Standards?

An important step towards ensuring that

ALL of America’s children receive safe,

nutritious meals through efficient, cost-

effective programs.

Professional Standards: Goals • ASSIST State agencies and SFAs with recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining qualified school nutrition staff.

• ENHANCE the public image of school nutrition professionals.

• BUILD skills and empower school nutrition staff to exceed the expectations of students, comply with Federal meal pattern requirements, meet food safety standards, and maximize the use of USDA foods.

Stakeholder Input March 2012 Two-day listening session with representatives from State agencies, local educational agencies, and others.

July 2012, 2013, & 2014 SNA’s Annual National Conference.

The Final Rule Published March 2, 2015 • Available at: www.regulations.gov

• Implementation began July 1, 2015. • Establishes minimum requirements: • Hiring standards for NEW

State/local directors. • Annual training standards for

ALL employees.

What’s in the Regulation?

The Final Rule • Establishes director hiring requirements for three LEA size categories.

• Has hiring options that emphasize experience.

• Indicates the required annual training hours for all SFA personnel.

New Standards: SFAs Hiring Standards Annual Training

Requirements NEW SFA Directors

EXISTING SFA Directors ALL OTHER SFA Managers and Staff

Hiring Standards for SFA Directors, Managers, and Staff

Hiring Standards for SFA Directors

• Hiring standards are based on three LEA size categories: • 2,499 or less student enrollment.

• 2,500-9,999 student enrollment.

• 10,000 or more student enrollment.

Hiring Standards: LEAs 2,499 students or less

• Bachelor’s degree with specific major, OR • Bachelor’s degree with any major, and a State-recognized certificate, OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any major and at least 1 year of relevant experience OR

• Associate’s degree with specific major and at least 1 year of relevant experience, OR

• High school diploma (or GED) and 3 years of relevant experience.

Special Consideration for Very Small LEAs

• For LEAs with <500 students: State agency has discretion to approve the hiring of a director that has a high school diploma but less than 3 years of experience

Hiring Standards: LEAs 2,500 – 9,999 students

• Bachelor’s degree with specific major, OR • Bachelor’s degree with any academic major, and a State-recognized certificate; OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any academic major and at least 2 years of experience, OR

• Associate’s degree with specific major and at least 2 years of experience.

Hiring Standards: LEAs 10,000 or more students

• Bachelor’s degree with specific major, OR • Bachelor’s degree with any academic major, and a State-recognized certificate; OR

• Bachelor’s degree with any academic major and at least 5 years experience in management of programs.

Food Safety Certification

• For New SFA Directors in All LEAs: • At least eight hours of food safety training within five

years prior to the starting date, or completed within 30 days of the starting date.

• State agency has discretion to require current SFA directors to obtain food safety certification every five years.

Training Standards for SFA Directors, Managers, and Staff

Training Requirements for Directors and Managers

• SFA School Nutrition Director 12 annual training hours

• SFA School Nutrition Managers 10 annual training hours

Training Requirements for All Other Staff • SFA School Nutrition Staff 6 annual training hours

• All Part-Time Staff (<20 hrs. per week) 4 annual training hours

Training standards in SY 2015-2016

• Program Directors: 8 hours (12 hours beginning SY 2016-2017) • Program Managers: 6 hours (10 hours beginning SY 2016-2017) • All Program Staff: 4 hours (6 hours beginning SY 2016-2017)

Phasing in Training

Annual Training Standards: SFA School Nutrition Personnel

• Training topics should apply directly to an individual’s job.

• The Secretary has discretion to require completion of specific training topics, as needed, to address critical Program issues.

Training Standards: Flexibilities • An employee hired on January 1 or later must complete half of the required training hours.

• At the State agency’s discretion, SFA training standards may completed over a period of two school years. • Some training hours must

be completed each SY.

Oversight SFA Oversight • Document compliance with the hiring and training standards for SFA director, manager and staff.

• Documentation must be available for Administrative Review.

Compliance • State agencies will monitor an SFA’s compliance with the Professional Standards during the Administrative Review. State agencies will examine:

• Records that document the completion of applicable

hiring. • Records that document continuing education and

training requirements.

Additional Flexibilities • The rule has flexibilities for the first year of implementation:

• Hiring a director that meets the employment

requirements in place prior to July 1, 2015, if the vacancy is advertised prior to July 1.

• Phases in the training requirements in SY 2015-2016. • Allows training received three months prior to July 1,

2015, to count toward SY15-16 training requirements.

Hiring & Training Standards for State Agency Directors

Hiring Standards: New State Directors of School Nutrition Programs

• Bachelor’s degree in: • Food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics,

family and consumer science, culinary arts, business, or a related field.

• Extensive knowledge and experience is areas such as: • Institutional food service operations, management,

business, and/or nutrition education. • Skills in leadership, management and supervision.

Hiring Standards: New State Director of Distributing Agencies

• Bachelor’s degree (no major specified).

• Extensive knowledge and experience.

• Skills in leadership, management and supervision.

Training Standards: All State Directors

• New and current directors must: • Complete a minimum of 15

hours of annual training. • Provide or ensure State

agency staff receives annual training.

• Provide the SFAs 18 hours of annual training (State Directors of School Nutrition Program only).

New Standards: State Directors Hiring Standards Annual Training

Requirements NEW State Director of School Nutrition Programs

NEW State Director of Distributing Agencies

EXISTING State Director of School Nutrition Programs and/or Director of Distributing Agencies

Planning Your Professional Standards Training

Training Format • A variety of training formats are allowable, including many free or low-cost options: • Virtual training • Web-based training • In-person training • Webinars • Conferences • In-house training

Key Learning Areas

• All training should fit into one of these categories: • Nutrition • Operations • Administration • Communications &

Marketing

NUTRITION • Menu planning • Nutrition education • General nutrition

OPERATIONS

• Food production • Serving food • Cashier and point of service • Purchasing/Procurement • Receiving and storage • Food safety and HACCP

Training Topics

ADMINISTRATION • Free and reduced price meal

benefits • Program management • Financial management • Human resources and staff training • Facilities and equipment planning

COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

• Communications and marketing

Training Topics

1000 NUTRITION 1100 MENU PLANNING

• 1100 USDA NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS • 1120 CYCLE MENUS • 1130 LOCAL FOODS --FARM TO SCHOOL • 1140 STANDARDIZED RECIPES • 1150 MENU ANALYSIS • 1160 SPECIAL DIETS, INCLUDING FOOD

ALLERGIES • 1170 USDA FOODS

Employee will be able to effectively and efficiently plan and prepare standardized recipes, cycle menus, and meals, including the use of USDA Foods, to meet all Federal school nutrition program requirements, including the proper meal components.

1. Plan menus that meet USDA nutrition requirements for reimbursable meals, including calculating meal components.2. Plan cycle menus that meet all rules. Consider cost, equipment, foods available, storage, staffing, student tastes, and promotional events. 3. Utilize local food sources, especially Farm to School, when possible. 4. Write standardized recipes, and use Food Buying Guide. 5. Analyze menus for school meal pattern requirements. 6. Plan meals to accommodate students requiring special diets, including food allergies. 7. Plan for effective use of USDA Foods.

Menu Planning: Example

Funding the Training • Providing training to school nutrition personnel IS an allowable use of the nonprofit school food service account.

• Paying for costs incurred by an individual to meet the hiring standards are NOT an allowable use of funds.

FNS & Partner Training Resources

State Training Grants

• FNS is providing $4 million for training programs

• Competitive grants of up to $150,000 for State agencies

• Award Date: Sept. 30, 2015

NFSMI-ICN Training • The Institute of Child Nutrition (NFSMI) offers FREE training in a variety of formats: • In-person training. • Webinar training. • On-line training.

• Expanded ICN Training: • New in-person trainings. • Additional $2 million for training.

Website • The Professional Standards for School Nutrition Professionals website includes over 450 free or low-cost training resources:

http://professionalstandards.nal.usda.gov/

Tracking Training Hours • The FNS Training Tracking Tool may be used to document training hours: • Allows users to access and

update their training hours. • Available at:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards

For assistance, email or call the help desk.

Just Released! FNS Guidance

• Policy Guidance: Q&A Memo SP 39-2015 (June 26, 2015): Explains the new hiring and training standards in Q&A format. • Available on the USDA-FNS

Webpage and on PartnerWeb.

More Information • Professional Standards Flyer (pictured)

• Professional Standards Brochure: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/professional-standards-brochure

• Guide to Professional Standards: Coming Soon!

Additional Resources • FNS Professionals Standards Webpage: Includes links to a

variety of resources for school nutrition directors and staff http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards

• School Meals Professional Standards: Includes a downloadable tool to help directors and employees track training activities http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards

• FNS Office of Food Safety: Includes food safety training and other resources http://www.fns.usda.gov/food-safety/food-safety

• Institute of Child Nutrition: Site Includes online and in-person training resources http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTU3

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: Are sample job descriptions available to help local operators determine who is covered by the professional standards for Program directors? ANSWER: Yes, sample job descriptions are available at http://www.nfsmi.org/ResourceOverview.aspx?ID=161

QUESTION: What is “equivalent educational experience”? ANSWER: “Equivalent educational experience” refers to college credits completed by an individual who does not possess a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. The State agency has the flexibility to determine if other substantial education, such as an extensive training program in school nutrition topics from a professional association, would qualify as equivalent experience.

QUESTION: May excess training hours be “carried over” to the next year? ANSWER: Excess training hours may be, at the discretion of the State agency, carried over to an immediately previous or immediately subsequent school year.

QUESTION: Are volunteers required to meet the new training standards? ANSWER: FNS does not require volunteers to meet the new professional standards. However, the State agency may choose to extend the training requirements to volunteers, in which case the volunteers are required to meet the standards.

QUESTION: If the school nutrition program director role is shared between multiple people, how do the new hiring standards apply? ANSWER: The individual who performs the majority of the planning, administrative, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the school nutrition program must meet the training standards for Program directors.

QUESTION: Who is included under the term “school nutrition staff?” ANSWER: The term refers to individuals without managerial responsibilities who are involved in the day-to-day operations of the school food service for a school participating in the NSLP or SBP. Generally, this includes cooks and cashiers; staff involved in eligibility determinations and meal counting/claiming; and support staff.

QUESTION: Who can provide the training? ANSWER: FNS also allows State agencies to involve university staff, professional associations, industry groups, and advocates in the training process. Popular options include: FNS, NFSMI, Professional Associations and organizations, in-house staff, the State agency, and commercial vendors.

Questions?