The Maryland State Department of Education’s new food policy became effective July 1, 2014.  Under the Maryland Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School, food must be either:

• whole grain-rich
• first ingredients must be fruit, vegetable, dairy product or protein food
• be a combination of foods that consists of more than a quarter-cup of fruit or vegetable
• contain at least 10% of the daily value of a nutrient of public health concern: calcium; potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber

Caffeinated beverages and sodas are also not allowed under the policy.

As reported by ABC news, the new policy would shut down the coffee shop at Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, a shop, which is run by special needs students as part of a program to teach their students job skills and promote their interaction with the general student population.

For more information, see the full story from ABC News, read the new policy, or view this presentation from the policy’s review period.