II 111th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3342 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 11, 2010 Mr. Durbin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a demonstration project to promote collaborations to improve school nutrition.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Healthy Schools Partnerships Act of 2010.

2.

Healthy Schools Partnerships Demonstration Program

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is amended by adding at the end the following: (j)

Healthy Schools Partnerships Demonstration Program

(1)

Definition of eligible entity

In this section, the term eligible entity means a school food authority that demonstrates that the school food authority has collaborated, or will collaborate, with 1 or more local partner organizations (including academic experts, registered dietitians or other nutrition professionals, community partners, or non-profit organizations) to achieve the purposes described in paragraph (2). (2)

Purposes

The purposes of the demonstration project established under this subsection are— (A)to assist schools in improving the nutritional standards of school meals and the overall school environment; and (B)to use local resources and expertise to promote collaborations and develop sustainable and replicable models for making systemic changes that promote good nutrition and healthy living among students. (3)

Establishment

The Secretary shall establish a demonstration project under which the Secretary shall make grants to eligible entities to fund collaborations of academic experts, nonprofit organizations, registered dietitians or other nutrition professionals, community partners, and local schools to test and evaluate innovative models to improve nutrition education, student decisionmaking, and healthy school environments. (4)

Application

(A)

In general

An eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (B)

Contents

In addition to any other requirements of the Secretary, each application shall— (i)identify the 1 or more problems that the eligible entity will address; (ii)identify the activity that the grant will be used to fund; (iii)describe the means by which the activity will improve the health and nutrition of the school environment; (iv)list the partner organizations that will participate in the activity funded by the grant; and (v)describe the metrics used to measure success in achieving the stated goals. (5)

Priority

In making grants under this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that demonstrate— (A)a severe need to improve the school environment, as demonstrated by high numbers of students receiving free or reduced price lunches, high levels of obesity or other indicators of poor health status, and health disparities in the community served by the school; (B)a commitment by community partners to make in-kind or cash contributions; and (C)the ability to measure results. (6)

Use of funds

An eligible entity shall use a grant received under this subsection— (A)to assess the problem of childhood obesity and poor nutrition in the school environment; (B)to develop an innovative plan or intervention to address specific causes of the problem in coordination with outside partners, including by developing and testing innovative models to improve student health and nutrition as measured by— (i)changes that result in healthier school environments, including more nutritious food being served in cafeterias and available a la carte; (ii)increased nutrition education; (iii)improved ability of students to identify healthier choices; (iv)changes in attitudes of students towards healthier food; (v)student involvement in making school environments healthier; (vi)increased access to physical activity, physical education, and recess; (vii)professional development and continuing education opportunities for school administrators, teachers, and school nurses; and (viii)changes in school policies that promote access to healthier food and physical activity; (C)to implement the plan or intervention in partnership with outside partners; (D)to measure and evaluate effectiveness of the intervention; or (E)to assess the sustainability and replicability of this model. (7)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015. .