UC Davis

ABSTRACTThis dissertation assesses federally mandated local school wellness policy (LSWP) quality and farm to school (F2S) engagement among California (CA) public school districts to address gaps in understanding about district factors that influence their development and adoption. To date, no such statewide evaluations have been done for CA, the nation’s most populous state. Chapter 1 describes the quality of a randomly selected sample of 200 LSWPs collected from low-income CA public districts during the 2017-18 school year. Policy quality (comprehensiveness and strength) was determined using the WellSAT 3.0 LSWP scoring tool. Multiple linear regression was used to assess associations between district demographic characteristics and LSWP quality scores. District demographic data on size, racial/ethnic makeup, student poverty, urbanicity, and presence of a district high school were obtained from the CA Department of Education (CDE). Models were also adjusted for use of a LSWP template and the date of policy adoption. F2S links schools with local farms to bring farm-fresh, nutritious food to school campuses. Chapters 2 and 3 evaluate data from CA public districts reported in the 2019 USDA F2S Census. Chapter 2 assesses whether F2S uptake is equitable among CA public districts. Weighted, multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between district demographic factors (described for Chapter 1) and report of engagement in F2S activities during the 2018-19 school year. Local food (LF) procurement for school meals is a core F2S activity yet not all districts participate in this F2S activity. Chapter 3 used weighted, multiple logistic regression to assess the influence of district demographic characteristics and school meal practices on serving LF in the school lunch program in 2018-19. School meal factors included having a salad bar, having a LF procurement policy, years of F2S engagement, and how “local” is defined by the district. Taken together these findings fill gaps in knowledge and can assist school food, F2S and child health decision makers to prioritize future policy, funding and training efforts more effectively in order to further improve school food environments at the local and national levels.