Incorporating Shared Use into Local School Wellness Policies

All school districts participating in the National School Lunch Program are required to adopt a local school wellness policy that addresses nutrition and physical activity.

This requirement reflects the essential role schools play in promoting student health and preventing childhood obesity. School districts can help promote physical activity by including provisions in their wellness policies that allow and encourage shared use of school facilities.

Shared use occurs when government entities, or sometimes private nonprofit organizations, agree to open or broaden access to their facilities for community use. Incorporating shared use into school wellness policies helps students, parents, teachers, and school district staff understand how shared use can increase opportunities for physical activity and create a healthier school environment.

ChangeLab Solutions developed this model policy language for school districts that are interested in demonstrating strong support for shared use of school district facilities in their local school wellness policy.