The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established minimum Professional Standards for school nutrition professionals who manage and operate the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

The standards are a key provision of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) and have been in effect since July 1, 2015. The standards provide minimum education standards for new state and local school nutrition directors based on school district’s size, as well as annual training requirements for all school nutrition professionals. Training for USDA Professional Standards must be in all or one of the four key areas listed below, depending on individual training goals.


Hiring Standards for New School Nutrition Program Directors

Those hired on or after July 1, 2015 — are supject to the education requirements below. School Nutrition Program Directors are the individuals responsible for the operation of school nutrition programs for all schools under the local educational agency (LEA).

Education Requirements for School Nutrition Program Directors

Minimum Requirements for Directors Student Enrollment 2,499 or less Student Enrollment 2,500-9,999 Student Enrollment 10,000 or more
Minimum Education Standards Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas;1
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and State- recognized certificate for school nutrition directors;
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and at least 1 year of relevant food service experience;
OR
Associate’s degree or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas,1 and at least 1 year of relevant food service experience;
OR
High school diploma (or GED) and 3 years of relevant food service experience.2,3 		Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas;1
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and State-recognized certificate for school nutrition directors;
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition programs experience;
OR
Associate’s degree or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas,1 and at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition programs experience. 		Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas;1
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and State-recognized certificate for school nutrition directors;
OR
Bachelor’s degree in any academic major, and at least 5 years experience in management of school nutrition programs.
Minimum Prior Training Standards At least 8 hours of food safety training is required either not more than 5 years prior to their starting date or completed within 30 calendar days of employee’s starting date.

1 Related majors include food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business, or a related field. Consult your State agency for more information about equivalent educational experience.

2 For LEAs with fewer than 500 students, and at the State agency’s discretion, the SFA can be approved to hire a school nutrition program director who has less than the required years of food service experience, provided the applicant has the minimum education specified in the hiring standards for LEAs with 2,4999 students or fewer.

3 At the discretion of the State agency, and on an individual basis, the SFA can hire a new director with documented volunteer or un- paid relevant food service experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Training Resources

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