About the WellSAT

Welcome to the WellSAT! The Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) is a set of measures to assess written district wellness policies and practices. This version was updated by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health in 2024 and can be used to meet federal Triennial Assessment requirements for School Food Authorities. 


The WellSAT was orginally developed in 2006 by a team of researchers funded by Healthy Eating Research (a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation). It has been updated multiple times with input from partners around the country to reflect the changing policy landscape and best practices in school health. Since its inception, the WellSAT tools have been used by researchers, state government agencies, and individual school districts.  

How to Find Your Policy

For this assessment, the policy documents you use should include the local school wellness policy, superintendent or administrative regulations, and any cross-referenced policies. This video will help you find all the documents needed to score your policy.

How to Score Your Policy

School wellness policies are evaluated based on the degree to which they address 65 policy items. These items are categorized into six sections:

1. Federal Requirements
2. Nutrition Environment and Services
3. Nutrition Education
4. Physical Education and Physical Activity
5. Employee Wellness
6. Integration and Coordination

Each policy item is rated "0," "1," or "2," using the definitions below. The WellSAT lists each policy item, followed by an explanation of the item and examples of text from real policies that would be rated "1" and "2".

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."

How Scores are Calculated

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 rated as “1” or “2,” dividing this number by the total number of policy items, and multiplying this number by 100.

Total Strength

Strength is calculated by counting the number of items rated as “2,” dividing this number by the toal number of policy items, and multiplying this number by 100.

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.

Research Using the WellSAT

Connolly, K., Koslouski, J. B., Chafouleas, S. M., Schwartz, M. B., Edmondson, B., & Briesch, A. M. (2024). Evaluating the usability of the Wellness School Assessment Tool Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WellSAT WSCC): A school wellness policy assessment tool. Journal of School Health, 94(5), 406–414. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13410

LoPresto, L. M., Cassady, D. L., & Dove, M. S. (2024). Evaluation of school wellness policies in low-income California districts after the 2016 USDA Final Rule. Journal of School Health, 94(4), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.13422

Friday, P. J., Beemer, L. R., Martindale, D., Wassmann, A., Eisman, A. B., Templin, T., Zernicke, R. F., Malinoff, L., Schwartz, A., Ajibewa, T. A., Marenus, M. W., & Hasson, R. E. (2023). A novel policy alignment and enhancement process to improve sustainment of school-based physical activity programming. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 1791. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031791

Meendering, J. R., Skinner, M. M., & McCormack, L. A. (2021). Model school-district wellness policies warrant improvements in comprehensiveness and strength. Journal of School Health, 91(1), 77–83. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12975

Joyner, H., Weymouth, L., Skalitzky, E., & Hillert, S. (2021). Wisconsin school wellness policies after federal legislation change: Understanding mechanisms of policy improvement. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 121(5), 872-882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2020.08.082

Koriakin, T. A., McKee, S. L., Schwartz, M. B., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2020). Development of a comprehensive tool for school health policy evaluation: The WellSAT WSCC. Journal of School Health, 90(12), 923–939. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12956

Komakech, J. J., & Hildebrand, D. A. (2020). The association between school health promotion programs and school wellness policies. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 52(10), 970–974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2020.05.004

LeGros, T. A., Jacobs, L. E., Goodman, G. L., Orzech, K. M., & Holmes, E. (2020). A systems approach helps explain significant improvements in local wellness policies among SNAP-Ed-supported school districts. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 52(8), 766–774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2020.02.010

Schwartz, M. B., Piekarz-Porter, E., Read, M. A., & Chriqui, J. F. (2020). Wellness School Assessment Tool Version 3.0: An updated quantitative measure of written school wellness policies. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17, 190373. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2020/19_0373.htm

LeGros, T. A., Jones, B., Jacobs, L., Orzech, K. M., Torbert, K., & Martinez, S. H. (2019). A case study of a new state model for assessing local wellness policies. Journal of School Health, 89(3), 191–199. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12728

Eggert, E., Overby, H., McCormack, L., & Meendering, J. (2018). Use of a model wellness policy may not increase the strength and comprehensiveness of written school wellness policies. Journal of School Health, 88(7), 516–523. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12635

Harvey, S. P., Markenson, D., & Gibson, C. A. (2018). Assessing school wellness policies and identifying priorities for action: Results of a bi-state evaluation. Journal of School Health, 88(5), 359–369. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12619

Francis, E., Hivner, E., Hoke, A., Ricci, T., Watach, A., & Kraschnewski, J. (2017). Quality of local school wellness policies for physical activity and resultant implementation in Pennsylvania schools. Journal of Public Health, 40(3), 591–597. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdx130

Meendering, J., Kranz, E., Shafrath, T., & McCormack, L. (2016). Bigger?better: The comprehensiveness and strength of school wellness policies varies by school district size. Journal of School Health, 86(9), 653-659. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12419

Hoffman, P. K., Davey, C. S., Larson, N., Grannon, K. Y., Hanson, C., & Nanney, M. S. (2016). School district wellness policy quality and weight-related outcomes among high school students in Minnesota. Health Education Research, 31(2), 234–246. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyv101

Brissette, I., Wales, K., & O’Connell, M. (2013). Evaluating the Wellness School Assessment Tool for use in public health practice to improve school nutrition and physical education policies in New York. Journal of School Health, 83(11), 757–762. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12091

Schwartz, M. B., Lund, A. E., Grow, H. M., McDonnell, E., Probart, C., Samuelson, A., & Lytle, L. (2009). A comprehensive coding system to measure the quality of school wellness policies. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(7), 1256–1262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2009.04.008