LACOE.edu site can be found here.

Why focus on nutrition and wellness?

Positive health behaviors impact students and learning. Nutrition and physical activity are two areas that may significantly affect the health and psycho-social determinants of attendance and learning. Research demonstrates that proper nutrition and food security are associated with:

- Increased health: physical, mental, social and emotional
- Decreased chronic illness
- Increased attendance
- Increased attention span/concentration
- Increased cognition and cognitive processing speed
- Increased retention
- Increased academic achievement
- Higher standardized academic test scores
- Decreased anxiety and depression

Schools have the means to provide students with access to nutritious food and physical activity opportunities that can have positive effects upon neurological, metabolic, cardio-respiratory, and skeletal body systems. It is even more important now to ensure that students have access to healthy meals and make time for movement to maintain a high level of concentration and focus that is needed for learning and engagement.

The establishment, implementation, and monitoring of local school wellness policies and regulations may assist school districts in meeting student health needs. LSWP allows the possibility to connect programs such as LCAP, MTSS, and PBIS, and determine how key stakeholders can synergize efforts through coordination to ensure the school environment and practices work to improve health.


Working with LEAs to create safe and supportive learning environments by cultivating practices that strengthen the social and emotional health of school employees and students.	Services to support the expansion and implementation of nutrition and wellness-related efforts to promote safe, healthy, and supportive school environments.	A collection of evidence-based tools and resources to support nutrition and wellness efforts.