Michigan free school lunches: State's budget remains in flux, what parents should know

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Parents getting ready to send their students back to school may be packing or buying lunches this year as the state's budget is still not passed.

Michigan lawmakers are at a stalemate over the 2025-2026 budget. It was supposed to be wrapped up by the end of June, but that deadline passed with lawmakers nowhere close to a deal. Now, with school starting in just a few weeks, a key element in the past few budgets could be at risk as school lunches may not be funded.

The State of Michigan has not passed the K-12 budget bill, which includes funding for the Michigan School Meals program. With its uncertainty still hanging in the air, it's unknown if free meals will be available for all students in the school year.

The backstory:

In 2023, Michigan Democrats controlled the House, Senate, and Governor's office, enabling the passage of a budget that included free lunches and breakfast for all public students, regardless of income.

The free lunches were a key part of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's proposed bill in February 2023. It feeds roughly 1.4 million kids every day and is estimated to save families $850 per year.

The program was first implemented during COVID-19 in 2020. In the following school year, it was continued. But by 2022-2023 school year, the funding was gone and free school lunches were removed.

However, the following budget year, 2023-2024, it returned. In that first year, over 76 million breakfasts and more than 135 million lunches were provided to students.

But the Michigan School Meals program does more than provide free food for children. It also supports Michigan agriculture by encouraging schools to participate in 10 Cents a Meal, a state-funded program that encourages schools to purchase Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans by giving schools an additional 10 cents per meal when the local produce is served in the school meals.

Why you should care:

Michigan lawmakers were to have had the K-12 budget in place by the end of June so that schools could prepare for the upcoming school year by July 1. This allows districts to know how much funding they would get from the state – which enables districts to complete their budgets as well.

Don Wotruba is the executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards.

"We can't negotiate contracts without knowing how much money we are getting from the state," he said in July. "We have a hard time setting up programs. As we've heard through the media the last year, that there are districts looking to make possible staffing changes, possible staffing reductions. We don't know at what level, without knowing what the legislature is doing."

Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D), and GOP Speaker of the House Matt Hall were making progress on how to spend roughly $30 billion. However, they couldn't agree on whether to fix the roads and schools at the same time – or separate the issues.

At the time, it was believed that Democrats had secured funding to continue school funding. However, a state bill has still not been passed. 

The previous budget ends on Sept. 30, meaning the first month of school would include free meals but would end on Oct. 1.

What schools are planning:

With the start of the school year on the horizon, districts have started alerting parents of plans if nothing changes with the budget.

A memo to school districts says in part: "MDE strongly recommends that local districts offer free meals at the beginning of this school year to take advantage of the student health, attendance, and performance benefits of school meals."

And that is what is happening in Northville where after September, the gig is up. The district announced that is when free meals for students will end. About 85 percent of its students take advantage of the free meals.

Dr. RJ Webber is the Northville Public Schools superintendent.

"We ask our educators too well you have to make sure you do this because the state says you do, you have to do that and be on time because that’s a requirement from the state or the federal government," he said. "Yet, it doesn’t feel especially fair or just that here we are a month and a half away from July 1 without a budget and you’re asking me a question about, you know RJ are you going to be able to feed your kids October 2 and I have to look you in the eye Ms. Cordell, and say I don’t know."

Webber called the decision "gut-wrenching." He hopes Michigan's school meal program stays with the State Department of Education planning to give an update Wednesday.

He also shared a pointed message to lawmakers.

"Respectfully, I'd say, and maybe this sounds a little blunt - but do your job," he said. "It's beyond the people who vote for you. It’s the people who vote for you and the kids that they have that you’re impacting by an action."

Schools are still awaiting final information from the lawmakers in Lansing before setting a plan for the upcoming school year. 

Most schools start either the last week of August or the first week of September.