0 - Not Mentioned

The item is not included in the text of the policy.

1 - Weak Statement

Assign a rating of "1" when the item is mentioned, but 

• The policy will be hard to enforce because the statement is vague, unclear, or confusing. 
• Statements are listed as goals, aspirations, suggestions, or recommendations. 
• There are loopholes in the policy that weaken enforcement of the item. 

The policy mentions a future plan to act without specifying when the plan will be established. 

Words often used in statements rated as a "1" are: may, can, could, should, might, encourage, suggest, urge, some, partial, make an effort, and try. 

2 - Meets or Exceeds Expectations

Assign a rating of "2" when the item is mentioned and it is clear that the policymakers are committed to making the item happen because: 

• Strong language is used to indicate that action or regulation is required 
• The item is described with concrete plans or strategies for implementation 

Words often used in statements rated as a “2” are: shall, will, must, have to, insist, require, all, total, comply, and enforce. 

Expert tip: One method for deciding between assigning a rating of "1" or "2" is to consider the scenario of a parent approaching a school district’s Board of Education to discuss an issue. If the policy is ambiguous on how the school should handle the issue, assign the item a rating of "1." If the written policy gives clear guidance about how to decide whether the school is compliant with the policy, assign the item a rating of "2."

The WellSAT will give you two scores: a comprehensiveness score, which reflects the extent to which recommended content areas are covered in the policy; and a strength score, which describes how strongly the content is stated. Both scores range from 0-100, with lower scores indicating less content and weaker language, and higher scores indicating more content and use of specific and directive language.

Total Comprehensiveness

Comprehensiveness is calculated by counting the number of items in each section rated as “1” or “2,” dividing this number by the number of policy items in the section, and multiplying this number by 100. The comprehensiveness scores of all six sections are added together and this number is divided by six (the total number of sections).

Total Strength

Strength is calculated by counting the number of items in each section rated as “2,” dividing this number by the number of policy items in the section, and multiplying this number by 100. The strength scores of all six sections are added together and this number is divided by six (the total number of sections).

The example below shows the calculation of sample scores for Section 3 of the WellSAT.

Item	Description	Score
NE1	Nutrition education teaches skills that are behavior focused, interactive, and/or participatory.	2
NE2	All elementary school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education.	1
NE3	All middle school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education.	1
NE4	All high school students receive sequential and comprehensive nutrition education.	1
NE5	Nutrition education is integrated into other subjects beyond health education.	0
NE6	Links nutrition education with the school food environment.	2
NE7	Nutrition education addresses agriculture and the food system.	0

Comprehensiveness Score: Three items are rated as "1" and two items are rated as "2," for a total of five items. Five divided by 7 equals 0.71, multiplied by 100 for a score of 71.

Strength Score: Two items are rated as "2." Two divided by 7 equals 0.29, multiplied by 100 for a score of 29.

Know Your State Laws

We recommend thoroughly reviewing your state’s laws and regulations because some states have laws that exceed federal standards for topics related to school wellness. It is important to become familiar with relevant laws in your state. To review state laws pertaining to wellness, visit the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) website.

If your state has a law that requires an element of the WellSAT, it is best practice to reiterate and reference the state law in your policy. 

Expert tip: Sometimes, school districts are unaware of or unclear about some aspects of a state law, and this is reflected in their policies. Here is an example from Connecticut:

Example statement from a Connecticut school district policy: "Schools shall offer low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk." 

Reason this is not in complete compliance with CT law:  In the absence of further statements about milk, this policy would not indicate that milk will meet the specific requirements of CT statute (CGS 10-221q), which specify that milk must contain no more than 4 grams of sugar per ounce and no artificial sweeteners, and is sold in portion sizes no larger than 12 fluid ounces.  Instead, the policy should reference the state law and reiterate that the district will only provide beverages that are in compliance with state law.