Start Date: October 2022

Organization: Boise State University and Duke University

Project Lead: Lindsey Turner, PhD and Hannah Lane, PhD, MPH

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The goal of this convergent mixed-methods, multiple case-study project is to identify existing equity-focused strategies that can be used to address negative parental perceptions that may be scalable in resource-deprived areas, and to inform hypothesis-driven research on which strategies are most effective. The two objectives of the study are to: 1) Describe multi-level contextual factors that influence perceived meal quality (via parent survey, parent focus groups, and CNP personnel/vendor interviews); and 2) Identify strategies to address parental perceptions, and characterize by equity focus area (i.e., increase healthy options; reduce deterrents; improve social and economic resources; build community capacity). The subrecipient will recruit CNP personnel, vendors/distributors, and parents from six urban and rural positive deviant school districts in four states to achieve these objectives. In two of the four states, the subrecipient will ask state agency staff to nominate two additional urban and two additional rural districts that do not meet their definition of exemplar districts, such that there are four comparison districts. Only food service director interviews and parent surveys will be conducted in the comparison districts.

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