Lessons Learned From a Partnership to Evaluate a School Food Program

Background: In 2013, leadership at a Boston school approached academic investigators for help with assessing their new school food program.

Methods: The community–academic partnership implemented a two-phase community-based participatory research (CBPR) assessment. The qualitative phase involved key stakeholder focus groups. The quantitative assessment involved height/weight measurement and dietary recalls at the beginning and end of the year.

Results: The qualitative assessment revealed low stakeholder engagement in the food program and resulted in substantive changes. In the quantitative phase, the partnership terminated the study after recruitment goals were not met.

Lessons Learned: The quantitative assessment faced administrative hurdles to conducting school-based research and obtaining institutional review board (IRB) approval of CBPR projects, low recruitment, and diminished partnership strength. The constant effort to sustain partnerships, IRB processes mal adapted for CBPR, and training needs for community investigators are challenges and opportunities for success.

Conclusions: CBPR can be useful for school-based research, but key process changes could increase its effectiveness.