Professional Standards - RCCI

Overview

As part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), the USDA established minimum professional standards for school nutrition employees who manage and operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). This includes hiring standards for new Food Service Directors and annual training requirements for all school nutrition employees.

New directors hired on or after July 1, 2015 are required to meet minimum education standards and relevant food service experience for their salary to be an allowable school food service expense.
Please note: Wisconsin requires that in each RCCI there is at least one staff member who is a certified food protection manager. The exam certificate, taken within the past 5 years, must be posted in public view.
More information on hiring standards for new food service directors may be found on the DPI Professional Standards Webpage.

All employees (directors, managers and staff) who manage and operate the USDA CNP must complete annual continuing education training established under 7 CFR 210.30.
Training Requirements In a Nutshell
Annual Training Requirements:
- Food Service Directors: 12 hours
- Managers: 10 hours
- Staff who work in school nutrition more than 20 hours per week: 6 hours
- Staff who work in school nutrition less than 20 hours per week: 4 hours

RCCIs must monitor and record annual continuing education training. The following tools have been created by the USDA and WI-DPI to help with tracking training hours.
- USDA Professional Standards Tracking Tool Version 2.0
- DPI-developed Professional Standards Tracking Tool
RCCIs may also use their own training tracker such as an Excel Spreadsheet. A training tracker much include an employee’s:
- Name and position/role
- Date of hire
- Required hours of training
- Training title and provider
- Training hours completed
Resources, policy and guidance can be found on the DPI Professional Standards Webpage.