NEW Tool Kit!

Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools

CDC’s new tool kit, Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools, helps schools make the healthy choice the easy choice for all students by ensuring access to free drinking water as an alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages before, during, and after school. The easy-to-use tool kit includes needs assessment tools, implementation strategies, and evaluation guidance to improve access to drinking water as part of a healthier nutrition environment in schools.

Drinking water in place of sugar-sweetened beverages can help students stay hydrated and may improve cognitive function. Children and adolescents spend much of their time at school, and by providing access to healthier choices, students can stay healthy and ready to learn.

School health councils, nutrition services providers, principals, teachers, parents, and other school staff can follow key steps and use the planning guide and resources to:

§  Meet USDA Smart Snacks in School requirements to provide free drinking water in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. 

§  Help make free drinking water readily available across the school campus. 

§  Promote water as a healthy beverage.

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§  State education and health agencies can provide professional development and technical assistance to support schools and districts in meeting federal requirements and implementing strategies.

§  Schools and districts can provide professional development on the tool kit, conduct a needs assessment of current drinking water policies and practices, and develop a school water access plan.

§  Parents can make sure children take refillable and reusable water bottles to school, and bring them home to be washed regularly. 

§  Stakeholders, such as public health partners, community members, and university staff, can support schools in implementation and evaluation efforts. 

Get the Word Out!

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Learn More

§  CDC Water Access in Schools

§  Water Access in Schools: Model Wellness Policy Language

§  EPA Drinking Water in Schools & Child Care Facilities

§  Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Putting the Act into Action “Strategies for Success: Making the Most of the New School Water and Milk Requirements

§  CDC School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

§  USDA Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010: Water Availability During National School Lunch Program Meal Service [pdf 58K]

§  USDA Smart Snacks in Schools

School Practices: Access to Drinking Water

§  2012 School Health Profiles (Profiles) – School health policies and practices for offering free sources of drinking water. [States and large urban school districts, territories, and tribal governments]

§  School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) – School health policies and practices in providing access to free drinking water to students. [State, district, school, and classroom]

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Division of Population Health  |  School Health Branch

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao

www.cdc.gov/bam