1. How Can SNA’s Professional Development Programs Help You Meet Professional Standards?
Note that slides 2 and 4 have animations – the text flies in by bullet point.

2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to:
Define how the implementation of USDA’s Professional Standards relates to your professional role in school nutrition
Identify the key learning areas of Professional Standards and learning formats/methods
Identify how to track professional standards training
Compare SNA’s Certificate and Credentialing programs’ alignment with annual training requirements for professional standards
Learning objectives

3. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Key Area 3: (3000) Administration
(3400) Human Resources & Staff Training
(3420) Policies & Procedures
This session counts toward your annual professional standards training. It can be coded to correspond with USDA’s Professional Standards Learning Topics in one of the four learning areas or key areas.
The key area for this webinar is Key Area 3: Administration
It is in the sub category of Human Resources & Staff Training
And the specific code of 3420 Policies and Procedures
All of SNA’s future webinars will be coded according to Professional Standards. If you are already confused, don’t worry, we will talk about coding in more detail a bit later on.

4. USDA Professional Standards
So let’s start with the USDA Professional Standards Final rule…

5. FINAL RULE Published : March 2, 2015 Citation: 80 FR 11077
Available at www. regulations.gov
Implementation begins July 1, 2015
School Year 2015/2016
Establishes minimum requirements
Hiring standards for NEW State/local directors
Annual training standards for ALL
employees
The final rule was published on March 2nd 2015
You can find it at regulations.gov or via the SNA website using the web address you see on screen.
The rule is effective July 1, 2015 but training as of April 1 counts towards 2015/16 annual training hours for professional standards.
The rule establishes minimum requirements for NEW State/local directors. Current State and local directors are all being grandfathered into their current positions and do not need to meet the new requirements.
It also established annual training standards for ALL employees – (current and NEW) and this is the focus of our discussion today.

6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Now let’s address some frequently asked questions!
Please note that the following questions pertain the SNA’s certificate and credentialing programs. For Q&As that apply directly to USDA professional standards requirements, there is a comprehensive Q&A accessible on the USDA website and we also link to it from the professional standards section SNA website.

7. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Titles (assistant director/office staff etc…)
Read the position description in the RULE to see if it applies to the actual job done
Particular Circumstances
Check with your state agency
Tracking
USDA tracking tool and SNA tracking tools available
Here are some answers to Frequently Asked Questions – Please note that we have been advised that USDA will be coming out with a FAQ guide in June with more details.
There are a number of questions about titles “I’m a supervisor not a director – what do I fall into?” – USDA strongly encourages everyone to read how the positions are described in the RULE to see if it applies to your job. Choose the position description that is most closely aligned to what you do – as titles vary so much. (Presenter, adding anecdote here would be great.)
If you have a particular circumstance – check with your state agency. However, on some questions, State Agencies are still waiting on some guidance from USDA so they may not be able to answer you right away – but your state agency should be your main contact for questions about your particular circumstance.
There are lots of ways to track training. USDA has provided a tracking tool on their website and many districts have different approaches to tracking. (Presenter, discuss how you plan to track training please)

8. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What about substitutes?
Full time substitutes should meet requirements
Check with your state agency regarding part time substitutes
If someone is temporarily “acting” but has been doing so for a significant period of time – they should meet the requirements
Only required for national school lunch and breakfast program – more flexibility with summer/supper

9. REQUIRED ANNUAL TRAINING
SFA directors
8 hours - SY
12 hours - beginning SY
SFA staff
4 hours - SY
6 hours - beginning SY
SFA managers
6 hours - SY
10 hours - beginning SY
Part-time staff working an average of less than 20 hrs/week
4 hours - SY and beyond
These are the hours required by level.
The annual training requirements are being phased in so less annual training hours are required for SY 15/16 than 16/17

10. TRAINING STANDARDS
Training is allowed in a variety of formats and from different sources - SAE funds can be used towards training
State agency, SNA, in-house, ICN,commercial vendors etc.
See:
In SY : Training received three months prior to July 1, 2015, counts toward the first year’s training requirements for all SFA personnel

11. KEY LEARNING AREAS
SNA’s four Key Areas align with Professional Standards learning areas 1. Nutrition Operations Administration Communications/Marketing
Did you know that the 4 learning areas in USDA Professional Standards are based on the 4 key areas in SNA’s Keys to Excellence standards and best practices? This is very important because it means that SNA’s programming is fundamentally aligned with Professional Standards.
For as long as I can remember, all of SNA’s professional development programming has been based on the four key areas you see on screen.

12. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS WEBSITE
So where can you find training? USDA’s professional standards website has over 500 training programs that you can access.
These are coded based on the professionals standards codes and many of SNA’s programs and webinars are included.
You can of course find training from the sources you have always relied on: SNA, your SNA state affiliate, NFSMI, Your State Agency, and more!

13. STATE AGENCY OVERSIGHT
States will review compliance with professional standards during the Administrative Review
Technical assistance and corrective action will be used to address noncompliance
It’s important to note that state agencies will review compliance during the administrative review. That’s why you should check questions you have about interpretations of the rule or particular circumstances with your state agency.

14. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS HUB
TRAINING GUIDELINES
TRAINING TRACKERS
LEARNING PLANS (NEW!)
SNA is working with USDA to help our members implement professional standards:
Visit our new hub for all professional standards information (URL on screen)
You will find professional standards training guidelines and tools to track training for your district
Of course, you are earning annual training hours for professional standards here at NLC.
You can download the NLC training tracker from the SNA website - or pick up a paper copy from the resource table.
And we have just developed new learning plans with links to free courses AND to tools to help you track training for different levels of staff.

15. LEARNING PLANS Two versions, simple & advanced
Advanced for use with Excel 2013
Provides 36 suggested online trainings based on job level
Links to training are provided and trainings range from 1 to 8 hours
Customize to include your own in-school training
Track all staff training and utilize built in tools
Advanced version: Utilizes Data Splicers to create a visual dashboard. This enables you to easily analyze and filter staff training
Simple version: Utilizes standard table filters to analyze training data
Exciting news!
In response to member feedback, SNA has developed the Professional Standards Learning Plan. The Learning Plan provides supervisors managing staff a method of tracking and sorting important training information.

16. SNA CERTIFICATE & CREDENTIALING PROGRAM CEUs ALIGNED WITH PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 1 hour of training for Professionals Standards
Additionally, the fundamental concept to remember is that one CEU for the certificate program (and for the credentialing program) is one and the same as 1 hour of training for professional standards.
You do not need to do something different or extra for SNA CEUs.

17. GOVERNING COUNCIL Certificate & Credentialing Governing Council
Responsible for governing of SNS
Autonomous arm of SNA
Responsible for policies of SNA’s Certificate and Credentialing Programs
Before reviewing how our certificate and credentialing programs are further aligned with professional standards, it’s important for you to know about SNA’s governing council.
The Certificate and credentialing governing council is responsible for the governance of the SNA credentialing programs and for policies pertaining to those programs
The Council is composed of SNA members most of whom have their SNS – they are practitioners in school nutrition but we also have a state agency representative, industry representative, a representative from USDA and someone from the ICN (formerly NFSMI) on the council.
So they have been the primary decision makers on the changes we will be reviewing. These are changes that the SNA board of directors fully supports as well.

18. SNS CREDENTIAL ALIGNMENT
The Credentialing exam tests for knowledge in the 4 key areas fundamental to USDA Professional Standards
Nutrition – 1000
Operations – 2000
Administration – 3000
Communications and Marketing
Once SNS Credential is earned, it is maintained for 3 years
Requirement to earn 45 CEUs in 3 year period
Encourage SNS credentialed professionals to earn 15 CEUs per year
Let’s take a look at the credentialing program.
The SNS Credential and exam are totally aligned with USDA professional standards. The exam tests people’s knowledge in the 4 key areas and 9 content areas that align with professional standards.
Once someone earns the SNS credential – they can maintain it for 3 years and need to earn 45 CEUs in those 3 years.
New as of July 1, the Governing Council decided that we should encourage people to earn 15 CEUs per year that way they can accomplish their professionals standards and Credentialing maintenance requirements at the same time. That said, we will still accept someone who decides to do 45 CEUs in the final year. So that is the only change because again, the SNS is fundamentally aligned with professional standards.

19. SNS STUDY GUIDE + BOOK www.schoolnutrition.org/SNS
A new updated SNS exam launched in July 2015 at SNA’s annual conference in Salt Lake City.
We also introduced a very popular study guide bundle package in January, so people now have the much needed resources to help them prepare.
And we have dramatically reduced the number of references to study for the exam from about 90 to about 25! You can download the latest version of the credentialing handbook on our website. So now is a great time to consider getting your SNS if you have been thinking about it
You can check the SNA website at the web address you see on screen to see the schedule of upcoming exams across the country.

20. Over 20,000 Certificate Holders
- A new September 2015 edition of the certificate guide is available for your to download summarizing the information we just reviewed– it’s available at the web address you see on screen www. Schoolnutrition.org/certificate – a separate application form to apply for a certificate can also be found at that web address.
- And for our SNA State associations, the guide and application have not been professionally printed but they are available to download, so you can print them out and hand them out at your state conferences.

21. CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ALIGNED WITH USDA PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
Initial requirements for each level have not changed (one minor exception at Level 3)
CEUs for renewals are now based on member type
The changes to SNA’s certificate program went into effect July 1, 2015 and here are the highlights
- Initial requirements for each level have not changed at all except for one minor addition for Level 3– in other words, the over 20,000 SNA members with certificates continue to meet all requirements to earn a certificate.
However, what has changed is that CEUs for renewing a certificate are NOW based on membership type.

22. CEUs FOR RENEWAL BASED ON MEMBERSHIP TYPE– LEVEL 1
SNA CEU Requirements for Level 1
Professional Standards Required Annual Training Hours for SY
Directors
12 CEUs
12 Hours
Managers
10 CEUs
10 Hours
Staff/Employees
6 CEUs
6 Hours
Staff less than 20 hours
4 Hours
State Agency Directors
15 CEUs
15 Hours
For level 1, the current minimum requirement for renewal is 6 CEUs. This will remain the same minimum CEU requirement for employee level members who will need to meet 6 hours of annual training for professional standards in SY
And for staff who work less than 20 hours, while professional standards requires 4 hours of annual training, 6 hours are still required for the SNA certificate program.
However, managers will now need to have 10 CEUs for renewal or 10 hours of training – this matches up with the SY annual training hours required for professional standards.
Directors will need to complete 12 annual hours of training for professional standards so they will need to complete 12 CEUs for renewal.
State agency directors need to complete 15 CEUs and 15 training hours.
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

23. CEUs FOR RENEWAL BASED ON MEMBERSHIP TYPE – LEVEL 2
SNA CEU Requirements for Level 2
Professional Standards Required Annual Training Hours for SY
Directors
12 CEUs
12 Hours
Managers
10 CEUs
10 Hours
Staff/Employees
6 Hours
State Agency Directors
15 CEUs
15 Hours
For Level 2, you will notice that CEUs are still based on membership type but everyone must meet a minimum of 10 CEUs for renewal. This is because level 2 is higher and requires more training hours to maintain. This is down from the previous minimum requirement of 12 CEUs.
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

24. CEUs FOR RENEWAL BASED ON MEMBERSHIP TYPE – LEVEL 3
SNA CEU Requirements for Level 3
Professional Standards Required Annual Training Hours for SY
Directors
12 CEUs
12 Hours
Managers
10 Hours
Staff/Employees
6 Hours
State Agency Directors
15 CEUs
15 Hours
For Level 3, you will notice that CEUs are still based on membership type but everyone must meet a minimum of 12 CEUs for renewal. This is down from the previous minimum requirement of 18 CEUs.
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

25. Changes were effective July 1, 2015
AUDIT INFORMATION
Random audit process
Transition period
Encouraged to meet new renewal training requirements
Will accept “old” requirements until July 1, 2016
Level 1: 6 CEUs for renewal
Level 2: 12 CEUs for renewal
Level 3: 18 CEUs for renewal
We will continue our random audit process. For SNA’s certificate and credentialing programs, you still do NOT need to submit proof of your annual training or CEUs for renewal unless you are audited.
And the Governing Council understands that this is a transition period. While we encourage you to meet the new renewal training requirements, we will accept the “old requirements” until July 1, 2016 which are:
Level 1 – 6 CEUs
Level CEUs
Level CEUs
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

26. Changes were effective July 1, 2015
CEU DOCUMENTATION
Tracking Grids (if you do anything, do this!)
Certificates of completion
Copies of rosters
College/Univ. transcripts
Program agendas
Registration confirmation letters
SNA MyAccount record
On screen you can see the types of CEU documentation required. These have not changed.
However, we highly encourage you to complete a tracking grid as this will be very helpful for tracking professional standards training. So very similar to what you have always done for SNA’s certificate and credentialing programs – but we suggest keeping a tracking grid too.
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

27. CERTIFICATE PROGRAM UPDATES
Eliminating concept of bundled 2 hours of instructional time as “Key area hours”
Now 1 hour of instructional time in each Key Area will count (no need to bundle)
Additionally, we are no longer requiring “two hours of instructional time bundled together” in each key area, also known as “key area hours”. These were required for initial applications hours for key areas 2 and 3. Now one hour of instructional time is just fine! There is no need to bundle hours.
Changes were effective July 1, 2015

28. CERTIFICATE PROGRAM UPDATES
Professional Development Articles (PDAs) still count -maintain maximum of 3 per year
1 CEU (not 2) for teaching a course
1 CEU (not 2) for writing a magazine article
We will continue to accept Professional Development Articles for CEUs and continue to allow for a maximum of 3 per year. These are tests at the end of School Nutrition magazine and there are some available on our website. These have all been matched up with professional standards topics.
For example, some of you took the test from the August issue of the magazine in preparation for this webinar.
Additionally, we continue to allow CEUs for teaching a course and writing a magazine article – but 1, not 2. Again, for consistency with USDA professional standards.

29. New SNA Certificate Guide!
- A new September 2015 edition of the certificate guide is available for your to download summarizing the information we just reviewed– it’s available at the web address you see on screen www. Schoolnutrition.org/certificate – a separate application form to apply for a certificate can also be found at that web address.
- And for our SNA State associations, the guide and application have not been professionally printed but they are available to download, so you can print them out and hand them out at your state conferences.

30. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Now let’s address some frequently asked questions!
Please note that the following questions pertain the SNA’s certificate and credentialing programs. For Q&As that apply directly to USDA professional standards requirements, there is a comprehensive Q&A accessible on the USDA website and we also link to it from the professional standards section SNA website.

31. FAQs
Expectation on balance of training topics listed in the final rule and training in the 4 key areas
It depends on what your supervisor decides and what’s needed for your job.
The only requirement is “other topics as determined by FNS” if there is an urgent need
Can CEUs for exhibit hours count towards professional standards?
No more than two hours dependent on your state agency’s guidance
Here are some popular questions that we regularly receive – if you have questions, please go ahead and type them in.

32. FAQs If it is very short training like 15 or 30 minutes, can it count?
15 minutes or more can count for USDA Professional Standards. NEW! For SNA programming, the Certificate & Credentialing Governing Council will allow bundling two 30-minute trainings and four 15-minute trainings on the same topic to count as one CEU.
Can the 15 minute intervals be cumulative to add up to 1 hour for example?
Yes.
Under 15 minutes CANNOT count for the SNA certificate program but can count for professional standards.

33. IMPORTANT UPDATES
USDA Professional Standards coding based on learning objectives for all training
Coding is a good idea but NOT mandatory
Carefully review what counts towards CEUs for professional standards
You may hear about “coding” – here is what this means.
USDA has provided a list of topics and learning objectives that have been coded for professional standards.
This is to help people more easily identify the category of training they have received. And for people providing training, this helps you categorize training based on the learning objectives.
SNA fully supports this system and process. That said, we have become a lot stricter about what counts for CEUs. For example, a session on parliamentary procedures or understanding bylaws used to count toward SNA CEUs – and while this is an important association management topic – it does not have enough of a link to school nutrition or professional standards -- so programs like these no longer count for now.
In talking with many state affiliates we have had good discussions around how a wellness walk or a zumba session do not count either.

34. Now Available! www.SchoolNutrition.org/ProfessionalStandards
To help you plan training or to help people understand how training you received fits with professional standards, SNA has created professional standards training guidelines –
This document includes a grid with the USDA Professionals Standards coded topics (organized by topic area) and also other popular training topics that could count toward professional standards with the relevant coding. The learning objectives are also included an some tips for how to code training.
A sample tracking grid is also included.
This is MEMBERS ONLY.

35. FAQs What “proof of training” needs to be shown?
Fill out USDA tracking grid or the SNA Training Tracking Tool
Recommend maintaining a file with training agendas/certificates/conference tracking sheets etc.…
Do we have to code training?
No, but it is recommended
Does wellness programming count (weight loss, minimizing stress) No

36. Training Hours Approved by State Agency For Exhibit Hall Participation
FAQs
Training Hours Approved by State Agency
For Exhibit Hall Participation
State
Allowable
Colorado
2 CEUs per year
Florida
None
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
1 CEU = ½ day exhibits
Kansas
Massachusetts
2 CEU per year (1/exhibit hall)
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
New Jersey
1 CEU per year
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Wyoming
Can CEUs for exhibit hours count towards professional standards?
No more than two hours dependent on your state agency’s guidance.
Here are the state agencies we have heard from and their guidelines around exhibit hours.

37. LOOKING AHEAD… Professional Standards
Revised guidelines for approving CEUs for industry and other orgs
Implications for SNA CEUs/leadership training
Assessment of member needs
Development of training to meet needs
Looking ahead –
A lot more work to be done on professional standards.
We have revised our guidelines for approving CEUs for industry and other organizations to make sure they are aligned with professional standards
We now have SNA CEUs that do not count towards professional standards (as I mentioned, association management related training) – but they are still professional development – we are considering what to do- maybe develop a leadership track
Working on developing training based on your needs. You will hear more about that in the coming months and will be receiving a survey in the next few weeks.