December 9, 2020

The Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs is a central resource that comprehensively outlines the required USDA Professional Standards for State and local school nutrition program professionals who manage and operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). The resource supports school nutrition professionals in ensuring they have the knowledge, training, and tools they need to successfully operate the NSLP and SBP. This updated version includes the four new hiring flexibilities for new school nutrition program directors in small local educational agencies (LEAs) and new State directors of school nutrition programs under the Professional Standards regulations for the NSLP and SBP.

The Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs provides updated* and user-friendly information on:    New hiring flexibilities under the Professional Standards requirements* Minimum educational criteria for hiring of new directors* Job categories Training topics organized by key areas Where to access training* (including the Professional Standards Training Database) Record-keeping requirements for training* (including the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool (PSTTT)) Annual training requirements for staff LEA enrollment categories (*Updated information found in the Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs.)

The updated Guide also introduces training reward badges – a fun way to promote training and recognize staff who have completed their annual training requirements. See Appendix D of the Guide or the Professional Standards Training Reward Badges packet for more information and additional sticker pages.

The updated Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs, the Professional Standards Training Reward Badges packet, and other relevant resources are now all in one place at the brand new Team Nutrition Professional Standards webpage. 

Printed copies will be available for ordering, while supplies last, from Team Nutrition at a later date – stay tuned!  

School Program operators can join the Team Nutrition network of schools by signing up to become a Team Nutrition School. It’s free and affirms a school's commitment to supporting or working toward a healthier school environment for our Nation’s children. Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/schools today!

Share your activities with us on Twitter @TeamNutrition using the hashtag #TeamNutrition or by emailing us at TeamNutrition@usda.gov.              USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.