A Case Study of a New State Model for Assessing Local Wellness Policies.

Background: In 2016, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a final rule to strengthen local wellness policies (LWPs). As school districts pursue compliance, states can provide critical guidance by leveraging support from intermediary programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed). After Arizona SNAP-Ed piloted a statewide model for assessing LWPs, we evaluated that model by exploring local SNAP-Ed agency experiences with the pilot.