"Something's Got to Give": How the Tensions of School-Community Partnerships Challenge the Sustainability of SNAP-Ed Funded PSE Programming Within Schools

Abstract

Objective: Identify barriers and facilitators to sustainable policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes in schools.

Design: Case studies of 19 schools during 2018-2019.

Setting: School District of Philadelphia schools receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed)-funded programming PARTICIPANTS: Interviews with 119 school and SNAP-Ed staff and 138 observation hours of nutrition programming.

Phenomenon of interest: Tensions that occur when SNAP-Ed implementers, in accordance with SNAP-Ed guidance, move toward handing over PSE maintenance to school staff.

Analysis: Interview transcripts and observations coded deductively and inductively.

Results: There is a gap between SNAP-Ed and school staff expectations of school staff capacity to take over PSE. This capacity gap was a challenge to sustainability and a barrier to equitable program distribution. This study finds facilitators of sustainable PSE (1) shared, feasible goals for program maintenance; (2) increased visibility of SNAP-Ed; (3) established roles of school staff, considering their capacity to maintain programming; and (4) designated partnerships coordinator, to facilitate communication and close the capacity gap.

Conclusions and implications: It is important to consider whether it is feasible for school staff in SNAP-Ed recipient schools to ultimately maintain PSE changes. Given persistent capacity challenges, expecting school staff to lead programming may be a barrier to sustained PSE programming in schools in which students need it most.

Keywords: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education; implementation; policy, systems, and environmental changes; schools; sustainability.