In April 2026, the Environmental Law Institute (ELI) and NRDC released a Model State Law on Reducing Food Waste in K–12 Public Schools, a template law that can be adapted and enacted by states to advance food waste reduction measures in kindergarten through 12th grade (K–12) public schools. The Background Memorandum that accompanies the Model explains the respective roles and authorities of federal, state, and local governmental entities in public school governance generally, in order to provide the legal context for the adoption and implementation of the food waste reduction measures included in the Model.
To elucidate this complex public school governance landscape, this case study details the respective authorities of the State of California, Los Angeles County, and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). This case study is intended to provide a sample governance landscape briefing for states, counties, cities, and school districts around the country that are interested in adopting some or all of the school food waste reduction measures in the Model.