Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT)

About the Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT)

• The Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT) uses results from WellSAT 3.0 and School Health Index (SHI) assessments. The purpose is to examine the relationship between a school district's local school wellness policy and school-level health practices.
• WPAT is easy to use and is completely confidential.
• This tool was developed in collaboration with the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health.

Access the Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT)

Access the online version.

How to use this tool

How school districts can use WPAT

School districts can use WPAT to help meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s triennial assessment requirements. Requirements include measuring how schools are following the local school wellness policy. This can help districts:

• Understand if the wellness policy is consistently implemented in schools across the district.
• Determine if schools are already implementing practices that could be incorporated into the district policy.
• Gather information about new topics to incorporate into the wellness policy.

How schools can use WPAT

Schools can use WPAT to see how their school nutrition and physical activity practices align with their district’s local school wellness policy. This information can help schools:

• Identify where implementation plans are needed to ensure that practices are consistent with current policies.
• Share current practices that can be incorporated into the district policy.
• Identify new nutrition and physical activity practices to work toward.

More information

• WPAT: Interpreting Results
• SHI and WellSAT Questions Included in WPAT—Elementary School
• SHI and WellSAT Questions Included in WPAT—Middle and High School
• WPAT Glossary

WPAT microlearning videos

This series of five brief videos provides an overview of the WPAT. The videos also show how to use the tool, how to set up a user profile, how to complete the assessment, and how to interpret WPAT scores.

Module 1: Introduction
This module provides an overview of the WPAT.

Module 2: Creating a WPAT Account
This module describes how to set up a user profile in WPAT.

Module 3: Starting the Assessment
This module demonstrates how to navigate and use WPAT.

Module 4: Completing Questions with Open Text Responses
This module describes how to complete the open text responses at the end of WPAT.

Module 5: Interpreting WPAT Scores
This module describes how to interpret WPAT scores.