USDA's School Meal Training Tool: An Update

You might care about this because the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending its information collection for the Professional Standards Trainings and Tracker Tool (PSTTT). This tool helps State agencies and school nutrition professionals manage their required training hours. These trainings cover four main areas: nutrition, operations, administration, and communications and marketing. The requirement comes from the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010. This notice from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is part of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. It invites public comment on this continued information collection. This is an extension of an existing, approved process, with no changes proposed to the collection itself. The PSTTT supports the mandatory training standards for those involved in school meal preparation. It helps them find, record, and track the training needed to meet federal guidelines. The overall goal is to ensure school nutrition staff have the right skills. The public can submit comments until June 1, 2026. What makes this document interesting is the USDA's ongoing support for school nutrition professionals. The PSTTT is a web-based tool provided at no cost. Even though training is mandatory, using this specific tool is voluntary. It helps school staff meet the requirements of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act. The tool is designed to be user-friendly and accessible. It even has a mobile-friendly version that works on all major operating systems like iOS, Android, and Windows. A recent update in July 2025 integrated a former training database into the PSTTT. This change made it easier for anyone to search for relevant trainings, even as a guest user. This update also led to the tool's name change to better reflect its search and tracking abilities. The notice highlights the agency's focus on providing practical assistance for a crucial federal program. Those who would find this legal document most relevant include State agency personnel involved in food and nutrition programs. School nutrition professionals, such as those who prepare school meals, are also a primary audience. This includes staff from local educational agencies and school food authorities. Anyone responsible for managing or overseeing training compliance for school meal programs will be interested. Academic researchers focusing on public health, child nutrition, or federal programs might also review this information. The document provides details on how the PSTTT helps these groups manage training requirements efficiently. The information about commenting on the collection process could also interest public advocacy groups or organizations representing school staff.