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California Professional Standards by Position

A summary of California specific professional standards and policies for School Nutrition Program employees by position.
Acronyms

SY = School Year; CDE = California Department of Education; LEA = Local Educational Agency; SNP = School Nutrition Programs; USDA = U.S. Department of Agriculture; HHFKA = Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

A The food safety hiring requirement is in addition to the annual training requirement of 12 hours.

B May show compliance over two school years as long as some training occurs during each year. Refer to the Training tab of the CDE’s Professional Standards web page for required annual training topics by job category.

C Ongoing food safety training can be credited towards the 12-hour annual training requirement.

D For specific information on educational requirements for a new SNP Director hired on or after July 1, 2015, consult Management Bulletin SNP-12-2025.

E Acting directors are on an interim basis only.

F Apprenticeships, internships, and fellowships may qualify in place of or in addition to education or work experience.


Position Hiring Standards:
Educational RequirementsF		 Hiring Standards:
Food Safety Hiring RequirementsF		 Training Standards:
Annual Training HoursB
(starting SY 2016-17)		 Training Standards:
Ongoing Food Safety TrainingC
Current SNP Director
(hired before July 1, 2015)

None
(Grandfathered)

None
(Grandfathered)

12

Either maintain food safety certification or complete eight hours of food safety training every five years
New SNP Director
(hired on or after July 1, 2015)

YesD
Hiring flexibility for:

  • LEAs with annual student enrollment of fewer than 500 students; and

  • LEAs with annual student enrollment of 2,500 or more

Yes

Eight hours within five years before start date or 30 calendar days after start date

12

Either maintain food safety certification or complete eight hours of food safety training every five years
Acting SNP DirectorE

None

None

12

(CDE Policy)

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
Managers

n/a

n/a

10

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
Staff
(working 20 hours or more per week)

n/a

n/a

6

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
Staff
(working fewer than 20 hours per week)

n/a

n/a

4

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
Temporary, Acting or Substitute Staff

n/a

n/a

No minimum hours, recordkeeping, or documentation requirement
(CDE policy)

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
(CDE policy)
Volunteer Staff, and Interns

n/a

n/a

No minimum hours, recordkeeping, or documentation requirement
(CDE policy)

Strongly recommend food safety training related to the job duties
(CDE policy)
Training Records

Training records for each employee must include their first and last name, job category (director, manager, part-time staff, or full-time staff, including food service management company positions), training title, date training completed, credited training time, and Professional Standards learning objective code.

In California, key area and training topics are optional as they can be inferred from the learning objective code.

Local educational agencies can use the optional U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Professional Standards Trainings and Tracker Tool External link opens in new window or tab..

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | ProfessionalStandards@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
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