Arizona plans broadest Smart Snacks fundraiser exemption policy

TUCSON, Ariz. — Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas plans to form a committee, made up of current and retired school district officials, that will review Title 15, the Arizona statute dealing with all things education, to identify regulations and requirements in the statute that are "antiquated, overreaching or unnecessary."

The announcement was made Wednesday during a meeting between the Arizona Department of Education and the House Appropriations Committee.

“I support Gov. Doug Ducey’s efforts to reduce regulation on business and believe the same should be done for school districts that are struggling with limited resources,” Douglas said in a statement. “If a rule, regulation, or statute does not contribute to bettering the education of our children or providing financial accountability, it needs to be seriously evaluated for elimination. While this will not solve all problems, laws are continually added over time, but rarely, if ever, reviewed for removal when they no longer serve a purpose.”

Douglas pointed to a federal rule that controls what type of food or snacks parents are allowed to bring to school fund-raisers, known as Smart Snacks requirements, as major federal overreach. The schools chief said yesterday that she would be granting exceptions to these requirements.

“Forcing parents and other supporters of schools to only offer federally approved food and snacks at fund-raisers is a perfect example of the overreach of government and intrusion into local control,” she said. “I have ordered effective immediately, that the ADE Health and Nutrition Services division grant exemptions for all fund-raisers for both traditional public schools and charter public schools.”