Table 4 Primary Positive and Negative Implementation Constructs with Coding Notes and Interview Extracts

Mid-Level Leaders

 + 

Code: perceptions of whether/how school climate leaders/deans support school meals and how this impacts implementation

Some days, the dean will put music on that kind of keeps [students] a little mellow someone like dance to the music (Teacher, High Participation)

High-Level Leaders

 + 

Code: perceptions of whether/how school principals/administrators support school meals and how this impacts implementation

She been coming down to help clean the tables off a couple of days in. (Food service, High Participation)

Need

 + 

Code: statements highlighting food insecurity of students and families, and how the meals program alleviates hunger

Yeah, it's already a struggle out here, especially for these low income neighborhoods, the neighborhood schools, so the parents don't have to spend as much money. So that's. You know, everybody needs money around here. You know, everybody's either just making it or below, there's a lot of single mothers. So, with multiple children just doing it by themselves, so when we don't have to come out of our pocket to pay for food, it really takes the load off of the parents. (Parent, High Participation)

Adapting

 + 

Code: how (if at all) is the meals program being adapted and is this helping overall?

Because the way I do it with the menu that we have, I notice things they like for tomorrow we got yogurt and muffins. So normally instead of order on one case, I always get like two maybe three. So I know it's gonna be a little bit more (Food Service, Low Participation)

Market Pressure

-

Code: Any ongoing programs or initiatives that could pose a threat to school meal programs?

I feel as though that the corner store is more of a preference only because the child with the biggest bag is the most popular, you understand what I'm saying to you, oh, you have all of the snacks and you come with them every day. They more people gravitate towards them, you know, because they look at them, like, oh, they have money, or they have more things in the next person. So they're more popular, you know, so I feel like that is an influence. (Administrator, Moderate Participation)

Available Resources

-

Code: Statements that indicate there's not enough resources for implementation e.g. “The options for us to order are very limited” or from student perspective regarding choice

Also “not enough food” is a limited resource, time, etc

Yeah, I don't think he gets enough time to eat and I don't think there's enough food because when he come home, he's still hungry. (Parent, Low Participation)

Innovation Design

-

Code: Issues related to clarity of information, quality of resources, food quality, preparation issues, portion size issues, perceptions of food quality

Maybe the presentation might be better. Yeah. Yeah, that could help. Yeah. Because if you look at a school lunch, you're instantly turned off. Yeah. It's disgusting looking. (Teacher, High Participation)

Local Attitudes

-

Code: perceptions of school meals across the whole school community and alignment with culture/background of families/community members

During black history they gave out chicken, what kind of chicken this is, was it? It was like it was like, No, it was baked. It was baked. Like as soon black history they just gave out chicken. (Student, Low Participation)

Do you guys feel that your backgrounds are reflected in the food at all? No I don't feel like it's reflected at all. (Student, Low Participation)

Local Conditions

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Code: factors within the local area/neighborhood affecting implementation of food service, socio-economic conditions of families around the school, etc. that might impact implementation

Well, there's not really a lot of healthy places around here there's a pho the pho place and then there's a sushi, sushi. But most of the most of the food we have here come from like a Rite Aid or Walgreens or the popeyes. (Student, Low Participation)

For example, people have mentioned, like, kids coming to school with stuff from the [corner] store, rather than sitting there eating that rather than school meals (Administrator, Low Participation)

Policies and Laws

-

Code: factors related to district, state, or federal policies affecting school meal implementation

The paperwork is tremendous. But other than that, I'd rather have more time to spend with the kids and talking to them about what they would like to see on the menu (Food Service, Low Participation)

Relative Priority

-

Code: The degree to which school meals are viewed as a priority in school operations, or “take a back seat” in terms of programming due to other pressures such as other after school programs/classroom instruction

Like I said, we don't have a gym. We just lost two teachers. You know, we have a condemned trailer, I'm trying to get removed from the yard, like, so every teacher has a list every principal has a list like this. And so then when they're thinking about the institutional issues of food, like they're, it's just down the list, right. (Administrator, Moderate Participation)