LOWELL, Mich. — With an Oct. 1 deadline looming to pass the 2026 fiscal year budget, schools across Michigan are waiting for lawmakers to reach an agreement that will determine funding levels, and potentially the future of free universal breakfast and lunch for students.
The Senate Democrats' proposed school aid budget includes a specific allocation for free meals, while House Republicans favor sending more money to districts without tying it to meal requirements.
"While the new school year is already underway for districts all over the state, schools still do not have the security of state funding to responsibly determine their own budgets," Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said on Aug. 20.
House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said on Aug. 26 that their plan would give schools more resources and choice. "And I mentioned they can get free breakfast, free lunch, free snacks, free dinner, they can get whatever they want under the House Republican budget. School districts are going to have more money than they've ever had before — and they're going to have the autonomy to make the decisions of what to spend it on," Hall said.
If no budget is passed by Sept. 30, Lowell Area Schools says students who qualify for free or reduced meals will continue to receive them at no cost beyond Oct. 1, but those who do not qualify would have to start paying.
It could be different if the Republicans have their way. "We will evaluate our ability to support free meals for all students with General Fund dollars as soon as we see the full budget passed by the state," the district said in a statement.
Community members like Barb Tindall say the stakes are high. "Some kids, that's the only meal they get during the day. We have a lot of kids in all the school districts that rely on those meals," Tindall said. As a former staff member in Lowell Schools, she said she often paid out of her own pocket to feed students. "I helped with lot of kids buying lunch or during snack time at the high school now, because they don't have the money, I provided a lot of things for the kids at the high school that I worked with," she said.
In Allendale, Superintendent Garth Cooper said the uncertainty is straining planning. "It's been difficult this year to plan for the school year because, without having a budget from Lansing, we don't know what to anticipate," Cooper said. If state funding for meals disappears, covering the cost at the district level would mean "less money for staff, that's less money for books, that's less money for technology."
Other districts are watching Lansing closely:
Wyoming Public Schools says it will continue free meals regardless of the state budget outcome.
- Kelloggsville Public Schools will provide free meals this year but says continuing without state help would be financially challenging.
- Portage Public Schools announced that students who do not qualify for free or reduced meals will have to pay starting in October if budget uncertainty remains.
- Cedar Springs Schools says it cannot replicate the full Michigan School Meals Program but will use all available resources to feed hungry students.
Not all districts rely on state funding for meals. Godfrey-Lee Public Schools and Grand Rapids Public Schools use federal programs to provide free meals to students.
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