Farm to School Compass
Best Practices and Needs Assessment Preview
Connecticut Department of Education
Farm to School Program
This document contains preview questions for the Best Practices and Needs Assessment sections:
- Classroom (Elementary, Middle, High School)
- Community
- Coordination
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Classroom (Elementary School)
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
We recognize that LEAs may divide grades into schools in different ways.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
Elementary School (K-5):
Does your LEA serve students in these grade levels?
This section is not applicable to my LEA
Which grade levels does this school serve? Please check all that apply.
Please check only one response that best describes your LEA (Elementary School). Responses should reflect activities during the previous and current school year.
| We are not doing | We have done this in the past | We have this in ONE school | We have this in SOME schools | We have this in ALL schools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We celebrate CT Grown for CT Kids Week in Early October | |||||
| We celebrate National Farm to School Month (October) | |||||
| We organize farm field trips for students | |||||
| We host farmer visits to our cafeteria or classrooms | |||||
| We organize unique pop-up farmer's markets or farm events in our schools | |||||
| Our schools have edible school gardens (indoor or outdoor) | |||||
| Our schools have implemented composting | |||||
| Our schools have culinary programs | |||||
| Our schools have cooking demos for kids and teachers, or young chef contests with Farm to School | |||||
| We have a coordinated approach to providing students with experiences growing, harvesting, and cooking food | |||||
| Our curriculum incorporates Farm to School concepts (e.g., literacy work using a garden or farm book, writing a prompt about a plant) | |||||
| Our students learn about agriculture-related careers (e.g., through a class/curriculum or clubs like 4-H or Future Farmers of America) | |||||
| Our students are involved in agricultural leadership programs (e.g., 4-H) | |||||
| Our food services personnel partner with the Agriculture Science and Technology Education (ASTE) on farm-to-school operations | |||||
| Our teachers have access to educational materials that allow them to find innovative ways teach Farm to School concepts | |||||
| Our teachers have ongoing professional development opportunities to create and update Farm to School curricula | |||||
| Other | |||||
Which types of technical assistance would be helpful for your classrooms? Please check all that apply.
Additional Comments
Classroom (Middle School)
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
We recognize that LEAs may divide grades into schools in different ways.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
Middle School (6-8):
Does your LEA serve students in these grade levels?
This section is not applicable to my LEA
Which grade levels does this school serve? Please check all that apply.
Please check only one response that best describes your LEA (Middle School). Responses should reflect activities during the previous and current school year.
| We are not doing | We have done this in the past | We have this in ONE school | We have this in SOME schools | We have this in ALL schools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We celebrate CT Grown for CT Kids Week in Early October | |||||
| We celebrate National Farm to School Month (October) | |||||
| We organize farm field trips for students | |||||
| We host farmer visits to our cafeteria or classrooms | |||||
| We organize unique pop-up farmer's markets or farm events in our schools | |||||
| Our schools have edible school gardens (indoor or outdoor) | |||||
| Our schools have implemented composting | |||||
| Our schools have culinary programs | |||||
| Our schools have cooking demos for kids and teachers, or young chef contests with Farm to School | |||||
| We have a coordinated approach to providing students with experiences growing, harvesting, and cooking food | |||||
| Our curriculum incorporates Farm to School concepts (e.g., literacy work using a garden or farm book, writing a prompt about a plant) | |||||
| Our students learn about agriculture-related careers (e.g., through a class/curriculum or clubs like 4-H or Future Farmers of America) | |||||
| Our students are involved in agricultural leadership programs (e.g., 4-H) | |||||
| Our food services personnel partner with the Agriculture Science and Technology Education (ASTE) on farm-to-school operations | |||||
| Our teachers have access to educational materials that allow them to find innovative ways teach Farm to School concepts | |||||
| Our teachers have ongoing professional development opportunities to create and update Farm to School curricula | |||||
| Other | |||||
Which types of technical assistance would be helpful for your classrooms? Please check all that apply.
Additional Comments
Classroom (High School)
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
We recognize that LEAs may divide grades into schools in different ways.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
For these questions, please answer the questions about “elementary schools” while thinking of students from kindergarten to grade 5; “middle schools” while thinking of students in grades 6 through 8; and “high schools” while thinking of students in grades 9 through 12. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
High School (9-12):
Does your LEA serve students in these grade levels?
This section is not applicable to my LEA
Which grade levels does this school serve? Please check all that apply.
Please check only one response that best describes your LEA (High School). Responses should reflect activities during the previous and current school year.
| We are not doing | We have done this in the past | We have this in ONE school | We have this in SOME schools | We have this in ALL schools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We celebrate CT Grown for CT Kids Week in Early October | |||||
| We celebrate National Farm to School Month (October) | |||||
| We organize farm field trips for students | |||||
| We host farmer visits to our cafeteria or classrooms | |||||
| We organize unique pop-up farmer's markets or farm events in our schools | |||||
| Our schools have edible school gardens (indoor or outdoor) | |||||
| Our schools have implemented composting | |||||
| Our schools have culinary programs | |||||
| Our schools have cooking demos for kids and teachers, or young chef contests with Farm to School | |||||
| We have a coordinated approach to providing students with experiences growing, harvesting, and cooking food | |||||
| Our curriculum incorporates Farm to School concepts (e.g., literacy work using a garden or farm book, writing a prompt about a plant) | |||||
| Our students learn about agriculture-related careers (e.g., through a class/curriculum or clubs like 4-H or Future Farmers of America) | |||||
| Our students are involved in agricultural leadership programs (e.g., 4-H) | |||||
| Our food services personnel partner with the Agriculture Science and Technology Education (ASTE) on farm-to-school operations | |||||
| Our teachers have access to educational materials that allow them to find innovative ways teach Farm to School concepts | |||||
| Our teachers have ongoing professional development opportunities to create and update Farm to School curricula |
Which types of technical assistance would be helpful for your classrooms? Please check all that apply.
Additional Comments
Community
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Farm to School activities take place in the cafeteria (e.g., procurement of local foods, taste tests); classroom (e.g., school garden, incorporating Farm to School concepts into the curriculum); and community (e.g., events to promote Farm to School activities with parents). The coordination of Farm to School activities across these settings is important for overall success. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
Please select the column that best describes your activities last year (2024-2025) and this year (2025-2026).
| We are not doing | We have done this in the past | We are not doing this, but we are interested | We have begun and are making progress | We are doing this | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We coordinate community meals inviting school and community members to share a meal featuring local ingredients | |||||
| We partner with our school district's parent organizations (e.g., PTO, PTA) to promote Farm to School activities with families (e.g., inviting parents to lunch, marketing Farm to School, fundraising) | |||||
| We partner with local community organizations to promote Farm to School activities with the broader community (e.g., corn shucking contests, farmers markets at schools) | |||||
| We receive support from community organizations for Farm to School activities or events (e.g., presentations, volunteers, funds) | |||||
| We host skill-building classes and workshops for the community (e.g., cooking, gardening, composting) | |||||
| We generate media coverage for our Farm to School operations (e.g., local newspaper, social media) | |||||
| We have long-term relationships with local farms, food producers, and businesses that provided nutrition-based experiences for students throughout the school year | |||||
| Other | |||||
Which types of technical assistance would be helpful for your community? Please check all that apply.
Additional Comments
Coordination
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Best Practices and Needs Assessment
Farm to School activities take place in the cafeteria (e.g., procurement of local foods, taste tests); classroom (e.g., school garden, incorporating Farm to School concepts into the curriculum); and community (e.g., events to promote Farm to School activities with parents). The coordination of Farm to School activities across these settings is important for overall success. For a list of recommended respondents, please see the “Who should respond and which documents do I need to complete the Compass?” in the Navigation page. Please answer these questions thinking about all schools in your district.
Please select the column that best describes your activities last year (2024-2025) and this year (2025-2026).
| We are not doing | We have done this in the past | We are not doing this, but we are interested | We have begun and are making progress | We are doing this | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our community members, students, and school staff see Farm to School practices as integral to our community, schools, and educational programming | |||||
| Our LEA has a designated Farm to School coordinator (different from the Regional Farm to School Coordinators) | |||||
| Our LEA has a Farm to School team | |||||
| Our LEA holds periodic meetings among the community to discuss Farm to School operations | |||||
| When hiring all staff, we consider the applicant's ability to contribute to our farm and school activities | |||||
| We have a funding system in place that can sustain Farm to School activities over the long term | |||||
| Other | |||||
Our school district's current Farm to School goals are:
Additional Comments
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