Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Expert Recommendations for K–12
These recommendations provide practical, evidence-based, actionable suggestions for how schools can become safer for children living with food allergies. Whether you are a school administrator, school staff, or a parent, these are designed with you in mind.
Overview of FAMS: Expert Recommendations
This slide deck provides a brief overview of the FAMS Expert Recommendations and will help you to put the suggestions quickly and successfully into practice. Download the slide deck below to use as a training aid for your school.
Download the slide deck in English
Download the slide deck in Spanish
FAMS: Expert Recommendations—Resources for K–12 Schools
FAMS: Expert Recommendations document
This document provides specific and doable recommendations for creating a food allergy safe school, including practical guidance on educating and training school personnel, preventing allergen exposure, preparing for emergencies, and how to communicate and collaborate for success. They were prepared by FARE in close collaboration with representatives from multiple organizations who were part of the Food Allergy Management in Schools Advisory Council, listed below.
Download FAMS: Expert Recommendations for K–12
English Version
Download FAMS: Expert Recommendations for K–12
Spanish Version
NOTE: The FAMS Expert Recommendations are intended to complement the 2013 Voluntary Guidelines for Food Allergies in Early Care and Education Programs.
Keeping Students Safe and Included (KSSI) Training
This free online course is designed to help administrators, school staff, and parents become better prepared to manage students with food allergies and respond to food allergy emergencies. Take this course to learn more about how to best protect and keep students safe and included. This resource has been independently reviewed and validated to make sure that it aligns with and reflects the recommendations included in the FAMS: Expert Recommendations for K–12 published in 2024.
Food Allergy Safety Basics Handout for Volunteers & Contractors
This simple handout is designed to provide the food allergy safety basics for volunteers and contractors who may be in the school and interacting with students for a brief time. For example, this might be helpful for a parent chaperoning a school trip, or a substitute teacher coming in for a day. Download a copy and print copies to use as needed. This resource has been independently reviewed and validated to make sure that it aligns with and reflects the recommendations included in the FAMS: Expert Recommendations for K–12 published in 2024.
Food Allergy Management in Schools Advisory Council Members
The following individuals and their organizations played a pivotal role in helping develop and review the FAMS: Expert Recommendations to make sure they are comprehensive, accurate, evidence-based, practical, and meet the needs of all audiences.
Chairperson:
Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc – Mass General for Children
Members:
Brooke Balchan, DO, FAAP – American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Council on School Health
Andrea Boudreaux, PsyD, MPH, MHA, FACH – American School Health Association (ASHA)
Kelly Cleary, MD, FAAP – Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE)
Liz Dixon, MS – Institute for Child Nutrition (ICN)
Eleanor Garrow-Holding & Amelia Smith, JD – Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)
Kayla Jackson – AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Susan Maffe, MS, RD, SNS – School Nutrition Association (SNA)
Lynda Mitchell, MA, CAE – Allergy & Asthma Network
Linda Neumann, RN – National Association of School Nurses (NASN)
Jenna Riemenschneider, MSc – Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
Thomas Silvera, MSHS-PH – Elijah-Alavi Foundation
Mary Vargas, JD – Stein & Vargas LLP
Julie Wang, MD – American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Organizations Formally Endorsing the FAMS: Expert Recommendations
The following organizations and their leadership or appointed representatives have reviewed the FAMS: Expert Recommendations, provided comments, and chosen to formally endorse the recommendations.
Disclaimer: This resource was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number NU38OT000282, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Its contents are solely the responsibility of Food Allergy Research and Education and do not necessarily represent the official views of the American Academy of Pediatrics or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services.